title: Making insoluble polymer networks malleable via olefin metathesis.
abstract: Covalently cross-linked polymers have many technological applications for their excellent properties, but they suffer from the lack of processability and adaptive properties. We report a simple, efficient method of generating adaptive cross-linked polymers via olefin metathesis. By introducing a very low level of the Grubbs' second-generation Ru metathesis catalyst, a chemically cross-linked polybutadiene network becomes malleable at room temperature while retaining its insolubility. The stress relaxation capability increases with increasing level of catalyst loading. In sharp contrast, catalyst-free control samples with identical network topology and cross-linking density do not show any adaptive properties. This chemistry should offer a possibility to combine the dimensional stability and solvent resistance of cross-linked polymers and the processability/adaptibility of thermoplastics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, 92697, United States.
authors.forename: Yi-Xuan
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tournilhac
authors.forename: Ludwik
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leibler
authors.forename: Zhibin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guan