ENHANCED MECHANICAL ENDURANCE OF INTERNALLY CROSS-LINKED POLYMERS
The field of mechnochemistry1,2, where the energy transduction is utilised to trigger chemical reactions, gained attraction in the last few years and demonstrated innovative new applications such as self-healing materials3. The manner of how the stress and strain is transmitted to a specific location in the polymer chain is known mainly for two polymeric architectures- linear chain and cross-linked polymer. In this research we seek to study how force is transmitted to different, unexplored, polymer architecture- internally cross-linked Single Chain Polymer Nanoparticle (SCPN) that have a potential to introduce new mechanoresponsive materials with extended life-time. The study shows that whereas diluted solution of linear polymer chains demonstrate fast degradation under the influence of ultrasonic mechanical force (as force accumulates at the mid-chain zone causing chain scission), SCPN have demonstrated a significant endurance since the cross-linkers must be broken first to unfold the chain before the force could cause a mid-chain scission event causing degradation.
(1) Caruso, M. M.; Davis, D. A.; Shen, Q.; Odom, S. A.; Sottos, N. R.; White, S. R.; Moore, J. S. Chemical Reviews 2009, 109, 5755.
(2) May, P. A.; Moore, J. S. Chemical Society Reviews 2013, 42, 7497.
(3) Toohey, K. S.; Sottos, N. R.; Lewis, J. A.; Moore, J. S.; White, S. R. Nature materials 2007, 6, 581.
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