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Superstretchable, yet stiff, fatigue-resistant ligament-like elastomers

Author

Listed:
  • Mengxue Li

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Lili Chen

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Yiran Li

    (Nanjing University)

  • Xiaobin Dai

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Zhekai Jin

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Yucheng Zhang

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Wenwen Feng

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Li-Tang Yan

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Yi Cao

    (Nanjing University)

  • Chao Wang

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

Ligaments are flexible and stiff tissues around joints to support body movements, showing superior toughness and fatigue-resistance. Such a combination of mechanical properties is rarely seen in synthetic elastomers because stretchability, stiffness, toughness, and fatigue resistance are seemingly incompatible in materials design. Here we resolve this long-standing mismatch through a hierarchical crosslinking design. The obtained elastomer can endure 30,000% stretch and exhibit a Young’s modulus of 18 MPa and toughness of 228 MJ m−3, outperforming all the reported synthetic elastomers. Furthermore, the fatigue threshold is as high as 2,682 J m−2, the same order of magnitude as the ligaments (~1,000 J m−2). We reveal that the dynamic double-crosslinking network composed of Li+-O interactions and PMMA nanoaggregates allows for a hierarchical energy dissipation, enabling the elastomers as artificial ligaments in soft robotics.

Suggested Citation

  • Mengxue Li & Lili Chen & Yiran Li & Xiaobin Dai & Zhekai Jin & Yucheng Zhang & Wenwen Feng & Li-Tang Yan & Yi Cao & Chao Wang, 2022. "Superstretchable, yet stiff, fatigue-resistant ligament-like elastomers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-30021-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30021-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhouyue Lei & Peiyi Wu, 2019. "A highly transparent and ultra-stretchable conductor with stable conductivity during large deformation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
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    1. Jing Chen & Yiyang Gao & Lei Shi & Wei Yu & Zongjie Sun & Yifan Zhou & Shuang Liu & Heng Mao & Dongyang Zhang & Tongqing Lu & Quan Chen & Demei Yu & Shujiang Ding, 2022. "Phase-locked constructing dynamic supramolecular ionic conductive elastomers with superior toughness, autonomous self-healing and recyclability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. FuYao Sun & LongFei Liu & Tong Liu & XueBin Wang & Qi Qi & ZuSheng Hang & Kai Chen & JianHua Xu & JiaJun Fu, 2023. "Vascular smooth muscle-inspired architecture enables soft yet tough self-healing materials for durable capacitive strain-sensor," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Jiqiang Wang & Baohu Wu & Peng Wei & Shengtong Sun & Peiyi Wu, 2022. "Fatigue-free artificial ionic skin toughened by self-healable elastic nanomesh," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Yangshuang Bian & Mingliang Zhu & Chengyu Wang & Kai Liu & Wenkang Shi & Zhiheng Zhu & Mingcong Qin & Fan Zhang & Zhiyuan Zhao & Hanlin Wang & Yunqi Liu & Yunlong Guo, 2024. "A detachable interface for stable low-voltage stretchable transistor arrays and high-resolution X-ray imaging," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Minho Seong & Kahyun Sun & Somi Kim & Hyukjoo Kwon & Sang-Woo Lee & Sarath Chandra Veerla & Dong Kwan Kang & Jaeil Kim & Stalin Kondaveeti & Salah M. Tawfik & Hyung Wook Park & Hoon Eui Jeong, 2024. "Multifunctional Magnetic Muscles for Soft Robotics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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