Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 114, Issue 19, Pages 4875-4880Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1620985114
Keywords
gels; loops; polymer networks; click chemistry; star polymer
Categories
Funding
- National Science Foundation [CHE-1334703]
- Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers Program of the National Science Foundation [DMR-1319807]
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Controlling the molecular structure of amorphous cross-linked polymeric materials is a longstanding challenge. Herein, we disclose a general strategy for precise tuning of loop defects in covalent polymer gel networks. This loop control is achieved through a simple semibatch monomer addition protocol that can be applied to a broad range of network-forming reactions. By controlling loop defects, we demonstrate that with the same set of material precursors it is possible to tune and in several cases substantially improve network connectivity and mechanical properties (e.g., similar to 600% increase in shear storage modulus). We believe that the concept of loop control via continuous reagent addition could find broad application in the synthesis of academically and industrially important cross-linked polymeric materials, such as resins and gels.
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