{"title":"Protein-Inspired Polymers with Tunable Microphase Structures toward Autonomous Self-Healing in Aqueous Environments","authors":"Yanwen Hu, Yan Song, Guo Liang Li","doi":"10.1002/admi.202400703","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>The self-healing of polymer materials in aqueous environments remains a significant challenge. Herein, a protein-inspired strategy for hydrophobic/hydrophilic-induced microphase separation is proposed to construct self-healing polymers in an aqueous environment. During self-healing, the hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane microphases in the damaged region reassociate with each other owing to the presence of dynamic hydrophobic interactions underwater. In addition, the hydrophilic carboxyl groups diffuse and penetrate to form hydrogen bonds. It is found that the microphase structure and self-healing efficiency can be adjusted by regulating the hydrophobic/hydrophilic components. The self-healing efficiencies of the as-synthesized polymers in deionized water and seawater environments reach to 99.1 and 98.7%, respectively. The molecular structures of the materials are characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy while the aggregated structure of the as-synthesized polymers is examined using small angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy (AFM). This design strategy, inspired by the biological sciences, will be expected to extend the application range of synthetic intrinsic self-healing polymers, especially in aqueous environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":115,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Materials Interfaces","volume":"12 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/admi.202400703","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Advanced Materials Interfaces","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/admi.202400703","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The self-healing of polymer materials in aqueous environments remains a significant challenge. Herein, a protein-inspired strategy for hydrophobic/hydrophilic-induced microphase separation is proposed to construct self-healing polymers in an aqueous environment. During self-healing, the hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane microphases in the damaged region reassociate with each other owing to the presence of dynamic hydrophobic interactions underwater. In addition, the hydrophilic carboxyl groups diffuse and penetrate to form hydrogen bonds. It is found that the microphase structure and self-healing efficiency can be adjusted by regulating the hydrophobic/hydrophilic components. The self-healing efficiencies of the as-synthesized polymers in deionized water and seawater environments reach to 99.1 and 98.7%, respectively. The molecular structures of the materials are characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy while the aggregated structure of the as-synthesized polymers is examined using small angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy (AFM). This design strategy, inspired by the biological sciences, will be expected to extend the application range of synthetic intrinsic self-healing polymers, especially in aqueous environments.
期刊介绍:
Advanced Materials Interfaces publishes top-level research on interface technologies and effects. Considering any interface formed between solids, liquids, and gases, the journal ensures an interdisciplinary blend of physics, chemistry, materials science, and life sciences. Advanced Materials Interfaces was launched in 2014 and received an Impact Factor of 4.834 in 2018.
The scope of Advanced Materials Interfaces is dedicated to interfaces and surfaces that play an essential role in virtually all materials and devices. Physics, chemistry, materials science and life sciences blend to encourage new, cross-pollinating ideas, which will drive forward our understanding of the processes at the interface.
Advanced Materials Interfaces covers all topics in interface-related research:
Oil / water separation,
Applications of nanostructured materials,
2D materials and heterostructures,
Surfaces and interfaces in organic electronic devices,
Catalysis and membranes,
Self-assembly and nanopatterned surfaces,
Composite and coating materials,
Biointerfaces for technical and medical applications.
Advanced Materials Interfaces provides a forum for topics on surface and interface science with a wide choice of formats: Reviews, Full Papers, and Communications, as well as Progress Reports and Research News.