Hysteresis‐Free Near‐Ideal Elastic Gels
Abstract
ABSTRACT The mechanical properties of covalently crosslinked gels or elastomers stem from the crosslinking of the polymer chains and entanglement. Increasing the crosslinking density of covalent networks improves their entropic elasticity but also increases their brittleness. Addressing conflicts between rigidity and toughness, large strains, elasticity, and crack extension presents a challenging task. Here, we present a spatial crosslinking (SC) strategy utilizing a spider‐like crosslinker to materialize creep‐resistant, and low‐hysteresis hydrogels under substantial deformations ( ε = 6000%). The SC approach not only boosts the entropic elasticity of the hydrogels but also disperses stress arising from fractured polymers, leading to notable enhancements in fracture strain, toughness, and crack propagation strain (8200%). Furthermore, the SC hydrogels exhibit the remarkable ability to endure 99% of the ultimate compressive strain at the fully swollen state, along with rapid rebound and creep‐free capabilities, rendering them highly promising candidates for various applications such as drift‐free sensor, artificial blood vessels, and soft robotics.
Article Details
Authors (9)
Weizheng Li
Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Suzhou Key Laboratory of Soft Material and New Energy, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University
Jiaofeng Xiong
Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Suzhou Key Laboratory of Soft Material and New Energy, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University
Xiuyang Zou
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huaiyin Normal University Huaian China
Lingling Li
Instrumental Analysis Center
Jiayu Wang
Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies, Suzhou Key Laboratory of Soft Material and New Energy, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University
Bingyang Wu
School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University 3 , Chongqing 400044,
Zhe Sun
Changcun Yan
Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory of Novel Functional Polymeric Materials Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Negative Carbon Technologies Suzhou Key Laboratory of Soft Material and New Energy Innovation Center for Advanced Polymer Materials College of Chemistry Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Soochow University Suzhou China
Feng Yan
Materials Science and Engineering Program, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy