A Supramolecular Polymer Based on Tweezer-Type π—π Stacking Interactions: Molecular Design for Healability and Enhanced Toughness

摘要

Polymeric materials that can recover their mechanical properties after damage are an increasingly active area of research. Such materials can be categorized as undergoing either autonomic healing, where regeneration of the physical properties occurs without external intervention, or induced healing, whereby they regain their original physical properties in response to an external stimulus such as heat, or light. Most healable materials reported to date require the formation of new covalent bonds within the damage zone to achieve healing, although more recent work has demonstrated that certain supramolecular materials can also show healable behavior after fracture, either autonomically or at elevated temperatures, through regeneration of noncovalent bonding interactions.