Configurational Entropy Regulation in Polyolefin Elastomer/Paraffin Wax Vitrimers by Thermally Responsive Liquid-Solid Transition for Force Storage

The work output of shape memory polymers during shape shifting is desired for practical application as actuators. Herein, a polyolefin elastomer (POE) and paraffin wax (PW) are co-cross-linked by dynamic boronic ester bonds to enhance the network elasticity and the stress transfer between the two phases, endowing high force storage capacity to the prepared vitrimers. Depending on the phase of PW, one-way force storage is realized by programming at a low temperature (25 degrees C), owing to which solid PW can promote the locking of POE chains in a low-entropy state, while reversible force storage can be realized by programming at a high temperature (75 degrees C), owing to which the relaxation of chains facilitated by liquid PW can promote the construction of a stable structure. Based on one-way force storage, a weight-lifting machine with a weight of 20 mg prestrained at 25 degrees C can lift a 100 g weight, showing a lifting ratio of no less than 5000, with a high work output of 0.98 J/g. A high-temperature alarm can be triggered at varied temperatures (43-56 degrees C) through controlled force release by adjusting the PW content and programmed prestrains. Based on the reversible force storage, crawling robots and artificial muscles with a work output of 0.025 J/g are demonstrated. The dynamic cross-linking network also confers mold-free self-healing capability to POE/PW vitrimers, and the repair efficiency is enhanced compared with the POE vitrimer due to the improved POE chain motion by liquid PW. The realized one-way and reversible force storage and self-healing by POE/PW vitrimers pave the way for the application of SMPs in the fields of soft robotic actuators.

Automated summary

In this research, a polyolefin elastomer (POE) and paraffin wax (PW) were co-cross-linked by dynamic boronic ester bonds to enhance the network elasticity and stress transfer, enabling high force storage in shape memory polymers (SMPs). One-way force storage was achieved by programming at a low temperature (25 °C) through solid PW, while reversible force storage was achieved at a high temperature (75 °C) through liquid PW. The POE/PW vitrimers also exhibited mold-free self-healing and improved repair efficiency, making them suitable for soft robotic actuators.