Creating Nanoknot‐Like Domains for Robust Artificial Spider Silk Toward High Twistocaloric Performance
Abstract
ABSTRACT High‐efficiency refrigeration materials with long cycle lifetimes are essential for reducing energy consumption in conventional cooling systems. Twistocaloric cooling, which harnesses nonlinear torsional stress, offers a promising pathway to enhanced cooling efficiency. However, a general design strategy for polymer‐based twistocaloric materials that combine high efficiency and long cycle life remains elusive. Here, we report spider silk‐inspired polybiurea elastomer fibers that exhibit exceptional mechanical properties and twistocaloric cooling performance. The material's architecture features nanoknot‐like domains formed via multiple hydrogen bonds and π – π interactions in the hard segments, which knot together the soft segments to provide high mechanical stability and substantial entropy changes. The polybiurea fibers with nanoknot‐like domains achieved an extraordinary combination of breaking strength of 316.5 MPa and toughness of 523.4 MJ m −3 . This engineered deformable knotted structure enables a maximum cooling temperature drop of −17.1 K (by twisting and stretching), a maximum Carnot efficiency of 89.7%, and operational durability up to 120 000 mechanical fatigue life cycles. We further demonstrate two out‐of‐phase operated twistocaloric devices designed to recover input mechanical energy, thereby enhancing overall system efficiency. This work presents a robust materials strategy for advancing high‐performance polymeric refrigeration materials and systems.
Article Details
Authors (21)
Jiatian Li
State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China
Guangkai Mei
State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China
Shaoli Fang
Alan G. MacDiarmid Nanotech Institute University of Texas at Dallas Richardson Texas USA
Xiao Liu
Songen Liu
State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China
Yasi Liu
State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China
Zhaoyu Yang
Xuanliang Han
Department of Science China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing China
Meilin Wang
Yicheng Xiao
State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China
Wang Chang
Wenjin Guo
Weiqiang Zhao
1Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, China
Guanghao Zhang
Ziqian Zhang
Chao Li
Mengmeng Zhang
Breast Center
Jie Bai
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Institute of Artificial Intelligence & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM)
Xiang Zhou
Ray H. Baughman
Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas
Zunfeng Liu
State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China