Journal
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
Volume 9, Issue 42, Pages 37300-37309Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b11230
Keywords
self-healing polymer; acidic water; hydrophilic groups; hydrogen bonds; hydrophobic groups
Funding
- Natural Science Foundation of China [51673219, 51333008, 31570566, 31500489]
- Science and Technology Program of Guangdong [2017A010103008]
- Taishan Scholars Program of Shandong Province
- Natural Science Foundation of Shandong [ZR2013CQ020]
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To improve reliability, durability, and reworkability of bulk polymers utilized in ubiquitous acidic water, the authors develop a novel hyperbranched polymer capable of self-healing and recycling in a low-pH aqueous environment. The hyperbranched polymer has many hydrophilic and hydrophobic terminal groups. When it is damaged in acidic water, the hydrophilic groups are protonated, forming hydrogen bonds, and closing the crack. Meanwhile, hydrophobic interactions of hydrophobic groups are gradually established across the interface because of the intimate contact of the cracked surface, further reinforcing the rebonded portion. The amphiphilic structure proves to meet both the thermodynamic and kinetic requirements for autonomous rehabilitation. As a result, the unfavored water, which used to impede adhesion between hydrophobic polymeric materials, turns into a positive aid to crack healing. The mechanism involved is carefully analyzed and verified in terms of micro- and macroscopic techniques. The proposed operating environment-oriented design of the stimulus-responsive macromolecule may help to broaden the family of underwater self-healing polymers and their application scope.
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