title: Slide-Ring Materials Using Cyclodextrin.
abstract: We have recently synthesized slide-ring materials using cyclodextrin by cross-linking polyrotaxanes, a typical supramolecule. The slide-ring materials have polymer chains with bulky end groups topologically interlocked by figure-of-eight shaped junctions. This indicates that the cross-links can pass through the polymer chains similar to pulleys to relax the tension of the backbone polymer chains. The slide-ring materials also differ from conventional polymers in that the entropy of rings affects the elasticity. As a result, the slide-ring materials show quite small Young's modulus not proportional to the cross-linking density. This concept can be applied to a wide variety of polymeric materials as well as gels. In particular, the slide-ring materials show remarkable scratch-proof properties for coating materials for automobiles, cell phones, mobile computers, and so on. Further current applications include vibration-proof insulation materials for sound speakers, highly abrasive polishing media, dielectric actuators, and so on.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo.
authors.forename: Kohzo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003505:Cyclodextrins / Q000737:chemistry*; D019277:Entropy; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D003505:Cyclodextrins; D011108:Polymers