Engineering Ultrastrong and Tough Gels Through Hyperhysteresis-Mediated Mechanical Training
Key Ideas
  • Molecular and structural engineering strategies, including dynamic interactions like hydrogen bonding, contribute to improved mechanical properties in synthetic elastomers and gels.
  • Mechanical training inspired by muscle hypertrophying enhances the strength and toughness of polymer networks through force-induced self-reinforcement and alignment of nanofibrillar structures.
  • Deep eutectic solvents (DES) play a crucial role in mechanical training by forming hyperhysteresis and refining nanocrystals, resulting in ultrastrong and tough gels with high mechanical properties.
  • Hyperhysteresis-mediated mechanical training leads to the creation of eutectogels with remarkable modulus and strength, achieved through hierarchical nanofibrils and refined nanocrystalline domains.
The article discusses the development of ultrastrong and tough gels through advanced mechanical training strategies. By incorporating dynamic interactions like hydrogen bonding and metal coordination bonds into molecular design, as well as introducing high-order structures, significant advancements have been made in improving the mechanical properties of synthetic elastomers and gels. The concept of mechanical training, inspired by muscle strengthening, involves force-induced self-reinforcement resulting in aligned nanofibrillar network architectures. Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are highlighted for their role in manipulating polymer networks, enabling self-healing properties and high temperature-resistance. The focus is on a high-efficiency mechanical training strategy using DES to create hyperhysteresis-mediated mechanical training, which enhances mechanical properties with only a single pre-stretch. This approach refines nanocrystals, increases hydrogen bond density, and provides structural retardation, leading to hierarchically-aligned nanofibrillar microstructures. The newly developed eutectogels, engineered through hyperhysteresis-mediated mechanical training, exhibit substantially improved modulus and strength compared to traditional polymer gels, showcasing convenient fabrication procedures and remarkable mechanical properties.
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