title: Self-healing multiphase polymers via dynamic metal-ligand interactions.
abstract: A new self-healing multiphase polymer is developed in which a pervasive network of dynamic metal-ligand (zinc-imidazole) interactions are programmed in the soft matrix of a hard/soft two-phase brush copolymer system. The mechanical and dynamic properties of the materials can be tuned by varying a number of molecular parameters (e.g., backbone/brush degree of polymerization and brush density) as well as the ligand/metal ratio. Following mechanical damage, these thermoplastic elastomers show excellent self-healing ability under ambient conditions without any intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California , Irvine, California 92697, United States.
authors.forename: Davoud
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mozhdehi
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ayala
authors.forename: Olivia R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Cromwell
authors.forename: Zhibin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guan