Self‐Healing Supramolecular Polymers In Action

Sophisticated polymeric materials with "responsive" properties, such as self-healing, are beginning to reach the market. Supramolecular polymers, i.e., polymers that owe their mechanical properties primarily to the reversible, non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonding interactions, between the macromolecules, have frequently been employed as self-healing materials. The quadruple hydrogen bonding ureidopyrimidinone (UPy) unit is a particularly effective and versatile design motif, since it forms very strong but reversible linkages, and can be incorporated into virtually any type of polymer backbone, leading to materials with increased mechanical properties. Supramolecular polymers are presented, with an emphasis on those based on the UPy-unit, and their use in self-healing applications is highlighted and discussed. Supramolecular polymers are eminently useful in self-healing applications. The reversible nature of supramolecular polymers allows for self-healing processes to take place, using a contact pressure trigger or a heat trigger. Several materials are presented with an emphasis on ureidopyrimidinone (UPy) comprising supramolecular polymer.

[1]  M. Mackay,et al.  A Supramolecular Polymer Based on Tweezer-Type π−π Stacking Interactions: Molecular Design for Healability and Enhanced Toughness , 2011 .

[2]  F. Baaijens,et al.  Thermoplastic elastomers based on strong and well-defined hydrogen-bonding interactions , 2008 .

[3]  Justin R. Kumpfer,et al.  Optically healable supramolecular polymers , 2011, Nature.

[4]  Interfaces in repair, recycling, joining and manufacturing of polymers and polymer composites , 1999 .

[5]  I. Bond,et al.  A hollow fibre reinforced polymer composite encompassing self-healing and enhanced damage visibility , 2005 .

[6]  Donghua Xu,et al.  Scaling Laws in Supramolecular Polymer Networks. , 2011, Macromolecules.

[7]  P. Mather,et al.  A thermoplastic/thermoset blend exhibiting thermal mending and reversible adhesion. , 2009, ACS applied materials & interfaces.

[8]  E. W. Meijer,et al.  Reversible polymers formed from self-complementary monomers using quadruple hydrogen bonding. , 1997, Science.

[9]  E. W. Meijer,et al.  Materials science: Supramolecular polymers , 2008, Nature.

[10]  S. Nutt,et al.  A Thermally Re-mendable Cross-Linked Polymeric Material , 2002, Science.

[11]  Masaru Yoshida,et al.  High-water-content mouldable hydrogels by mixing clay and a dendritic molecular binder , 2010, Nature.

[12]  N. Sottos,et al.  Autonomic healing of polymer composites , 2001, Nature.

[13]  R. Wool.  Self-healing materials: a review. , 2008, Soft matter.

[14]  S. Pensec,et al.  Self-Assembly in Solution of a Reversible Comb-Shaped Supramolecular Polymer , 2010, 1005.1552.

[15]  J. Lehn,et al.  Molecular recognition directed self‐assembly of supramolecular liquid crystalline polymers from complementary chiral components , 1990 .

[16]  C. Bucknall,et al.  Hot plate welding of plastics: Factors affecting weld strength , 1980 .

[17]  E. W. Meijer,et al.  Chemical and biological properties of supramolecular polymer systems based on oligocaprolactones. , 2006, Biomaterials.

[18]  E. W. Meijer,et al.  Self‐Complementarity Achieved through Quadruple Hydrogen Bonding , 1998 .

[19]  E. Popa,et al.  TOF-secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging of polymeric scaffolds with surrounding tissue after in vivo implantation. , 2010, Analytical chemistry.

[20]  R. Sijbesma,et al.  Self‐assembly and morphology of polydimethylsiloxane supramolecular thermoplastic elastomers , 2008 .

[21]  L. Lyon,et al.  Autonomic self-healing of hydrogel thin films. , 2010, Angewandte Chemie.

[22]  Jeffrey S. Moore,et al.  Self-Healing Polymers and Composites , 2010 .

[23]  E. W. Meijer,et al.  STRONG DIMERIZATION OF UREIDOPYRIMIDONES VIA QUADRUPLE HYDROGEN BONDING , 1998 .

[24]  E. W. Meijer,et al.  Supramolecular polymers at work , 2004 .

[25]  E. W. Meijer,et al.  Supramolecular Polymer Materials: Chain Extension of Telechelic Polymers Using a Reactive Hydrogen-Bonding Synthon** , 2000 .

[26]  Nancy R. Sottos,et al.  Polydimethylsiloxane‐Based Self‐Healing Materials , 2006 .

[27]  E. W. Meijer,et al.  Stability and Lifetime of Quadruply Hydrogen Bonded 2-Ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone Dimers , 2000 .

[28]  P. Cordier,et al.  Self-healing and thermoreversible rubber from supramolecular assembly , 2008, Nature.

[29]  Wayne Hayes,et al.  Healable polymeric materials: a tutorial review. , 2010, Chemical Society reviews.

[30]  S. Rowan,et al.  Using the dynamic bond to access macroscopically responsive structurally dynamic polymers. , 2011, Nature materials.

[31]  Fred Wudl,et al.  The world of smart healable materials , 2010 .