Multifunctional Liquid‐Free Ionic Conductive Elastomer Fabricated by Liquid Metal Induced Polymerization

By Ming Wang, Zhibin Lai, X. Jin, Taolin Sun, Hongchen Liu, Haisong Qi. Advanced Functional Materials, 2021

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Novel liquid‐free ionic conductive elastomers are fabricated by the polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) in polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (PDES). Liquid metal (LM) nanodroplets are used to initiate and further cross‐link polyacrylic acid (PAA) chains into a liquid‐free polymeric network without any extra initiators and cross‐linkers. The resulting liquid‐free ionic conductive elastomers exhibit high transparency (94.1%), ultra‐stretchability (2600%), and autonomous self‐healing. Spin trapping electron paramagnetic resonance and dye fading experiments reveal the generation of free radicals. UV–visible spectrometry and viscosity tests demonstrate the cross‐linking effect of Ga3+. The gelation time is much shorter than that of the conventional ammonium persulfate thermal initiation process. Furthermore, this liquid‐free polymer material is intrinsically resistant to freezing and drying, enabling it to operate under harsh conditions. In consideration of transparency, self‐healing, ultra‐stretchability, moldability, and sensory features, the resulting elastomeric conductor may hold promise for industrial applications in wearable devices, force mapping, and flexible electroluminescent devices.

Subfields: Biomedical Engineering, Polymers and Plastics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/b3b79e015e408be48346e6759a6d47607ec0419e