{"title":"Photothermally-Induced Reversible Rigidity of Nacre-Mimetic Composites Toward Semi-Active Personal Safeguard","authors":"Zimu Li, Sheng Wang, Shuai Liu, Wenhui Wang, Jianpeng Wu, Tingting Xuan, Zhentao Zhang, Danyi Li, Yuqian Ma, Xinglong Gong","doi":"10.1002/adfm.202414780","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The capacity to withstand challenges posed by complex environments is crucial for developing advanced high-performance protective materials with mechanically adjustable nature. By constructing long-range hierarchical network of shear-stiffening gel-carbon nanotube-cellulose nanofiber (SCC) embedded within epoxy resin (ER), this work engineers a nacre-inspired variable-stiffness SCC-ER composite (SCCE). Lightweight SCC scaffold attenuates falling impact force from 2.23 to 0.46 kN, and reaches 60 °C within 20 s under 1 sun exposure. Additionally, owing to the rigid ER matrix, SCCE exhibits 4.03 GPa elastic modulus, outperforming numerous conventional engineering materials in puncture resistance. Specific energy absorption of nacre-mimetic SCCE presents 1.91 MJ m<sup>−3</sup> while that of random structural SCCE is only 0.50 MJ m<sup>−3</sup>. More importantly, SCCE features representative photothermal-induced reversible rigidity whose storage modulus varies from 9.85 MPa at 30 °C to 11.61 kPa at 116 °C under light stimulation. It also presents shape-programmability, capable of adhering complex structural surfaces for protection. Eventually, SCCE-based semi-active adjustable protectors are constructed that leverage contactless photothermal effect to modulate rigidity. 5 mm-thick smart SCCE-protectors resist 163.93 m s<sup>−1</sup> ballistic impact while 15-mm commercial kneepads are penetrated at lower speed of 136.98 m s<sup>−1</sup>. This bio-inspired semi-active strategy proposes a promising avenue for enhancing personal protective equipment.","PeriodicalId":112,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Functional Materials","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":18.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Advanced Functional Materials","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202414780","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The capacity to withstand challenges posed by complex environments is crucial for developing advanced high-performance protective materials with mechanically adjustable nature. By constructing long-range hierarchical network of shear-stiffening gel-carbon nanotube-cellulose nanofiber (SCC) embedded within epoxy resin (ER), this work engineers a nacre-inspired variable-stiffness SCC-ER composite (SCCE). Lightweight SCC scaffold attenuates falling impact force from 2.23 to 0.46 kN, and reaches 60 °C within 20 s under 1 sun exposure. Additionally, owing to the rigid ER matrix, SCCE exhibits 4.03 GPa elastic modulus, outperforming numerous conventional engineering materials in puncture resistance. Specific energy absorption of nacre-mimetic SCCE presents 1.91 MJ m−3 while that of random structural SCCE is only 0.50 MJ m−3. More importantly, SCCE features representative photothermal-induced reversible rigidity whose storage modulus varies from 9.85 MPa at 30 °C to 11.61 kPa at 116 °C under light stimulation. It also presents shape-programmability, capable of adhering complex structural surfaces for protection. Eventually, SCCE-based semi-active adjustable protectors are constructed that leverage contactless photothermal effect to modulate rigidity. 5 mm-thick smart SCCE-protectors resist 163.93 m s−1 ballistic impact while 15-mm commercial kneepads are penetrated at lower speed of 136.98 m s−1. This bio-inspired semi-active strategy proposes a promising avenue for enhancing personal protective equipment.
期刊介绍:
Firmly established as a top-tier materials science journal, Advanced Functional Materials reports breakthrough research in all aspects of materials science, including nanotechnology, chemistry, physics, and biology every week.
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