MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6, 20520, Turku, Finland.
Laboratory of Industrial Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2022 Sep 26;61(39):e202204611. doi: 10.1002/anie.202204611. Epub 2022 Aug 24.
Plastics are one of the most widely used polymeric materials. However, they are often undegradable and non-recyclable due to the very stable covalent bonds of macromolecules, causing environmental pollution and health problems. Here, we report that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) could drive the formation of robust, stable, and sustainable plastics using small molecules. The LLPS process could sequester and concentrate solutes, strengthen the non-covalent association between molecules and produce a bulk material whose property was highly related to the encapsulated water amounts. It was a robust plastic with a remarkable Young's modulus of 139.5 MPa when the water content was low while became adhesive and could instantly self-heal with more absorbed water. Finally, responsiveness enabled the material to be highly recyclable. This work allowed us to understand the LLPS at the molecular level and demonstrated that LLPS is a promising approach to exploring eco-friendly supramolecular plastics that are potential substitutes for conventional polymers.
塑料是应用最广泛的高分子材料之一。然而，由于大分子的共价键非常稳定，它们往往不可降解和不可回收，导致环境污染和健康问题。在这里，我们报告了液-液相分离（LLPS）可以使用小分子驱动形成坚固、稳定和可持续的塑料。LLPS 过程可以隔离和浓缩溶质，增强分子之间的非共价相互作用，并产生一种块状材料，其性质与包裹的水量高度相关。当含水量低时，它是一种坚固的塑料，具有显著的杨氏模量 139.5 MPa，而当含水量高时，它变成了一种粘性材料，可以瞬间自我修复，吸收更多的水分。最后，响应性使材料具有高度的可回收性。这项工作使我们能够在分子水平上理解 LLPS，并证明 LLPS 是探索环保的超分子塑料的一种很有前途的方法，这种塑料可能是传统聚合物的替代品。
