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Optically healable supramolecular polymers

Author

Listed:
  • Mark Burnworth

    (Case Western Reserve University)

  • Liming Tang

    (Case Western Reserve University)

  • Justin R. Kumpfer

    (Case Western Reserve University)

  • Andrew J. Duncan

    (US Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground)

  • Frederick L. Beyer

    (US Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground)

  • Gina L. Fiore

    (Adolphe Merkle Institute and Fribourg Center for Nanomaterials, University of Fribourg)

  • Stuart J. Rowan

    (Case Western Reserve University)

  • Christoph Weder

    (Case Western Reserve University
    Adolphe Merkle Institute and Fribourg Center for Nanomaterials, University of Fribourg)

Abstract

Healed by light Smart materials with an in-built ability to repair damage caused by normal wear and tear could prove useful in a wide range of applications. Most healable polymer-based materials so far developed require heating of the damaged area. But Burnworth et al. have now produced materials — in the form of polymer strands linked through metal complexes — that can be mended through exposure to light. The metal complexes in these materials can absorb ultraviolet light that is then converted into heat, which temporarily unlinks the polymer strands for quick and efficient defect healing. In principle, healing can take place in situ and while under load.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Burnworth & Liming Tang & Justin R. Kumpfer & Andrew J. Duncan & Frederick L. Beyer & Gina L. Fiore & Stuart J. Rowan & Christoph Weder, 2011. "Optically healable supramolecular polymers," Nature, Nature, vol. 472(7343), pages 334-337, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:472:y:2011:i:7343:d:10.1038_nature09963
    DOI: 10.1038/nature09963
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    Cited by:

    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. Saikat Mondal & Pratap Tanari & Samrat Roy & Surojit Bhunia & Rituparno Chowdhury & Arun K. Pal & Ayan Datta & Bipul Pal & C. Malla Reddy, 2023. "Autonomous self-healing organic crystals for nonlinear optics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Rui Xu & Gilbert Santiago Cañón Bermúdez & Oleksandr V. Pylypovskyi & Oleksii M. Volkov & Eduardo Sergio Oliveros Mata & Yevhen Zabila & Rico Illing & Pavlo Makushko & Pavel Milkin & Leonid Ionov & Jü, 2022. "Self-healable printed magnetic field sensors using alternating magnetic fields," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.

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