Jiang Yujia, Tang Ning, Wang Xiaoting, Pei Dongxu, Zhang Hao, Li Min-Hui, Hu Jun
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Nat Commun. 2025 Aug 11;16(1):7417. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-62742-6.
Eutectogels have emerged as promising candidates for technological applications due to their environmental stability, repeatable deformability, and high ionic conductivity. Nevertheless, the existing eutectogels often show fragile network structures, in which the simultaneous achievement of high modulus, strength, and toughness remains a real challenge. Herein, a variable-temperature solvent exchange (VTSE) strategy is proposed to fabricate mechanically robust eutectogels. The VTSE approach implements a two-stage solvent exchange process to synergistically optimize the crystal nucleation and growth of poly(vinyl alcohol), resulting in a robust network crosslinked by well-developed crystalline domains. The obtained eutectogels exhibit an advantageous combination of high Young's modulus (103.1 MPa), strength (40.5 MPa), toughness (86.8 MJ m), and fracture energy (98.7 kJ m), surpassing the performance of conventional hydrogels, organogels, and ionogels. Moreover, the versatility of VTSE approach allows its application to other solvent systems, providing a powerful platform for the design of advanced functional gels.
低共熔凝胶因其环境稳定性、可重复变形性和高离子导电性，已成为技术应用中颇具潜力的候选材料。然而，现有的低共熔凝胶通常呈现出脆弱的网络结构，要同时实现高模量、高强度和高韧性仍然是一项严峻挑战。在此，我们提出一种变温溶剂交换（VTSE）策略来制备机械性能稳健的低共熔凝胶。VTSE方法实施两阶段溶剂交换过程，以协同优化聚乙烯醇的晶核形成和生长，从而形成由发育良好的结晶域交联而成的稳健网络。所制备的低共熔凝胶展现出高杨氏模量（103.1兆帕）、强度（40.5兆帕）、韧性（86.8兆焦/立方米）和断裂能（98.7千焦/立方米）的有利组合，超越了传统水凝胶、有机凝胶和离子凝胶的性能。此外，VTSE方法的通用性使其能够应用于其他溶剂体系，为先进功能凝胶的设计提供了一个强大的平台。
