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Viscoelastic behaviors for optimizing self-healing of gels with host–guest inclusion complexes

Polymer Journal volume 56, pages 1031–1039 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

This research showed that the self-healing properties of reversible crosslinked gels with host–guest inclusion complexes depended on the mobility of network chains and the recombination behaviors of reversible complexes, which were affected by changes in the water–glycerol solvent composition. The sticky reptation behaviors of the polymer chains were delayed by the recombination behaviors of reversible bonds. These behavioral characteristics were observed based on a dynamic viscoelasticity. Increasing the glycerol concentration in the mixed solvent decreased the surface tension and increased the mobility of the network chains because the recombination of the complex was slowed by the weak hydrophobic interactions between the host and guest molecules. Consequently, self-healing properties, such as re-adhesion at the cutting surface, were improved by the interdiffusion of polymer chains at the reattached interface. The strong hydrophobic interactions in pure water promoted the formation of complexes within the same cutting surface, thus decreasing the self-healing rates of the mechanical properties. In this study, the solvent was found to be an important parameter for controlling the self-healing properties of reversible crosslinked gels. The competition between the mobility of polymer chains and the recombination behaviors of reversible bonds controlled the self-healing properties of the gels with host–guest inclusion complexes.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Scientific Research on Innovative Areas JP19KK0131, JP19H05714 and JP19H05721 from the MEXT of Japan, JST; the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) program JPMJCR22L4; the COI-NEXT program JPMJPF2218; the Asahi Glass Foundation; the Yazaki Memorial Foundation for Science; the Suzuki Foundation; and the Iketani Science and Technology Foundation, 0361034-A. The ITC measurement was performed at the Analytical Instrument Facility, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan

    Kenji Yamaoka, Ryohei Ikura & Yoshinori Takashima

  2. Forefront Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan

    Kenji Yamaoka, Ryohei Ikura & Yoshinori Takashima

  3. Yushiro Chemical Industry, 1580 Tabata, Samukawa-machi, Koza-gun, Kanagawa, 253-0193, Japan

    Motofumi Osaki, Hidenori Shirakawa, Kazuya Takahashi, Hiroaki Takahashi & Yasumasa Ohashi

  4. Innovative Catalysis Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (ICS-OTRI), Osaka University, 1-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

    Yoshinori Takashima

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  1. Kenji Yamaoka
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Yamaoka, K., Ikura, R., Osaki, M. et al. Viscoelastic behaviors for optimizing self-healing of gels with host–guest inclusion complexes. Polym J 56, 1031–1039 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-024-00932-7

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