Tough Double Metal-ion Cross-linked Elastomers with Temperature-adaptable Self-healing and Luminescence Properties

Smart materials with a combination of tough solid-like properties, fast self-healing and optical responsiveness are of interests for the development of new soft machines and wearable electronics. In this work, tough physically cross-linked elastomers that show high mechanical strength, intriguing temperature-adaptable self-healing and fluorochromic response properties are designed using aluminum(Al) and fluorescent europium(Eu) ions as cross-linkers. The ionic Al-COOH binding is incorporated to construct the strong polymer network which mainly contributes to the mechanical robustness of the elastomer consisting of two interpenetrated networks. The Eu-iminodiacetate(IDA) coordination is mainly used to build the weaker but more dynamic network which dominate the elasticity, self-healing and luminescence of the elastomer.Moderate Eu~(3+) and Al~(3+) contents give these supramolecular elastomers high toughness. The temperature-sensitive Eu-IDA coordination enables tunable self-healing rate and efficiency along with fast Eu-centered "ON/OFF" switchable red emission. The mechanical, self-healing and luminescence properties of these elastomers can be adjusted by tuning the ratio of the two types of metal ions. This elastomer is potentially applicable for biosensors, wearable optoelectronics and anticounterfeiting materials.     

Highly Strong and Tough Supramolecular Polymer Networks Enabled by Cryptand-Based Host-Guest Recognition

Supramolecular polymer networks (SPNs) demonstrate great potential in the development of smart materials owing to their attractive dynamic properties. However, as they suffer from the inherent weak bonding of most noncovalent cross-links, it remains a significant challenge to construct SPNs with outstanding mechanical performance. Herein, we exploit the cryptand/paraquat host-guest recognition motifs as cross-links to prepare a class of highly strong and tough SPNs. Unlike those supramolecular cross-links with relatively weak binding abilities, the cryptand-based host-guest interactions have a high association constant and steady complexing structure, which effectively stabilizes the network and resists mechanical deformation under external force. Such favorable structural stability endows our SPNs with greatly enhanced mechanical performance, compared with the control- 1 cross-linked by the weakly complexed crown ether/secondary ammonium salt motif (tensile strength: 21.1±0.5 vs 2.8±0.1 MPa; Young's modulus: 102.6±4.8 vs 2.1±0.3 MPa; toughness: 90.4±2.0 vs 10.8±0.6 MJ m⁻³). Moreover, our SPNs also retain abundant dynamic properties including good abilities in energy dissipation, reprocessability, and stimuli-responsiveness. These findings provide novel insights into the preparation of SPNs with enhanced mechanical properties, and promote the development of high-performance intelligent supramolecular materials.     

Preparation and characterization of a mixing soft-segment waterborne polyurethane polymer electrolyte

The mixing soft-segment WPU(waterborne polyurethane)polymer electrolytes were synthesized by using PEO(poly(ethylene oxide))and PDMS(polydimethylsiloxane)as the soft segments.These polymer electrolytes exhibit good thermal and electrochemical stability.The conductivity of the gel polymer electrolyte is 2.52 x 10~(-3)S/cm at 25℃with the LiTFSI/(DMC+EC) content of 130%.     

Heat shrinkability of electron-beam-modified thermoplastic elastomeric films from blends of ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer and polyethylene

The heat shrinkability of electron-beam-irradiated thermoplastic elastomeric films from blends of ethylene–vinylacetate copolymer (EVA) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) has been investigated in this paper. The effects of temperature, time and extent of stretching and shrinkage temperature and time have been reported. Based on the above data, the optimized conditions in terms of high heat shrinkage and low amnesia rating have been evaluated. Influence of radiation doses (0–500 kGy), multifunctional sensitizer levels (ditrimethylol propane tetraacrylate, DTMPTA), and blend proportions on heat shrinkability has been explained with the help of gel fraction and X-ray data. With the increase in radiation dose, gel fraction increases, which in turn gives rise to low values of heat shrinkage and amnesia rating. At a constant radiation dose and blend ratio, percent heat shrinkage is found to decrease with increase in DTMPTA level. Gel content increases with the increase in EVA content of the blend at a constant radiation dose and monomer level, giving rise to decrease in heat shrinkability. Heat shrinkage increases with the increase in percent crystallinity, although the amnesia rating follows the reverse trend.     

Isolation and Characterization of Actinoramides A-C, Highly Modified Peptides from a Marine Streptomyces sp

Reported herein is the isolation and structure elucidation of three highly modified peptides, actinoramides A-C (1-3), which are produced by a marine bacterium closely related to the genus Streptomyces. The planar structures of the actinoramides, which are composed of the unusual amino acids 2-amino-4-ureidobutanoic acid and 4-amino-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-5-phenylpentanoic acid, were assigned by chemical transformations and by interpretation of spectroscopic data, while the absolute configuration of these new peptides were defined by application of the advanced Marfey’s and Mosher’s methods.     

From Polymer to Size‐Defined Oligomers: A Highly Divergent and Stereocontrolled Construction of Chondroitin Sulfate A,C, D,E, K,L, and M Oligomers from a Single Precursor: Part 2

An efficient, stereocontrolled, and highly divergent approach for the preparation of oligomers of chondroitin sulfate (CS) A, C, D, E, K, L, and M variants, starting from a single precursor easily obtained by semisynthesis from abundant natural polymer is reported for the first time. Common intermediates were designed that allowed the straightforward construction of O‐sulfonated species either on the D ‐galactosamine unit (CS‐A, ‐C, and ‐E) or on both D ‐glucuronic acid and D ‐galactosamine units (CS‐D and CS‐K, ‐L, and ‐M). This strategy represents a successful improvement and brings a definitive answer toward the synthesis of such complex molecules with numerous relevant biological functions.     

Highly Enantioselective Fluorescent Recognition of Both Unfunctionalized and Functionalized Chiral Amines by a Facile Amide Formation from a Perfluoroalkyl Ketone

The H₈BINOL‐based perfluoroalkyl ketone (S)‐ 2 is found to exhibit highly enantioselective fluorescent enhancements toward both unfunctionalized and functionalized chiral amines. It greatly expands the substrate scope of the corresponding BINOL‐based sensor. A dramatic solvent effect was observed for the reaction of the amines with compound (S)‐ 2 . In DMF, cleavage of the perfluoroalkyl group of compound (S)‐ 2 to form amides was observed but not in other solvents, such as methylene chloride, chloroform, THF, hexane, and perfluorohexane. Thus, the addition of another solvent, such as THF, can effectively quench the reaction of compound (S)‐ 2 with amines in DMF to allow stable fluorescent measurement. This is the first example that the formation of strong amide bonds under very mild conditions is used for the enantioselective recognition of chiral amines. The mechanism of the reaction of compound (S)‐ 2 with chiral amines is investigated by using various analytical methods including mass spectrometry as well as NMR and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy.     

Elastic and quasielastic light scattering from mixtures of three polymers and a solvent: The effects of polymethylmethacrylate concentration and molecular weight on the properties of polystyrene/polydimethylsiloxane/toluene solutions

Elastic and quasi-elastic light scattering data obtained from PS/PDMS/PMMA/toluene mixtures are reported. Several systems characterized by different concentrations and different molecular weights of PMMA are considered. For each of these systems, a systematic investigation is performed as a function of the scattering angle and the concentration of the PS/PDMS mixture using both techniques. The PMMA does not contribute directly to the scattered light since its increment of refractive index is zero. However the data show that its presence modifies substantially the apparent interaction parameter of PS and PDMS and the single diffusion coefficient of these polymers in the solution. The variations of these quantities with the concentration and molecular weight of PMMA are obtained. The data are analyzed within a simplified model combining based on the random phase approximation and the Rouse dynamics for ternary polymer mixtures. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Highly Ordered Mesoporous Carbonaceous Frameworks from a Template of a Mixed Amphiphilic Triblock‐Copolymer System of PEO–PPO–PEO and Reverse PPO–PEO–PPO

A series of highly ordered mesoporous carbonaceous frameworks with diverse symmetries have been successfully synthesized by using phenolic resols as a carbon precursor and mixed amphiphilic surfactants of poly(ethylene oxide)‐b‐poly(propylene oxide)‐b‐poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO–PPO–PEO) and reverse PPO–PEO–PPO as templates by the strategy of evaporation‐induced organic–organic self‐assembly (EISA). The transformation of the ordered mesostructures from face‐centered (Fd m) to body‐centered cubic (Im m), then 2D hexagonal (P6mm), and eventually to cubic bicontinuous (Ia d) symmetry has been achieved by simply adjusting the ratio of triblock copolymers to resol precursor and the relative content of PEO–PPO–PEO copolymer F127, as confirmed by small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nitrogen‐sorption measurements. The blends of block copolymers can interact with resol precursors and tend to self‐assemble into cross‐linking micellar structures during the solvent‐evaporation process, which provides a suitable template for the construction of mesostructures. The assembly force comes from the hydrogen‐bonding interactions between organic mixed micelles and the resol‐precursor matrix. The BET surface area for the mesoporous carbonaceous samples calcined at 600 °C under nitrogen atmosphere is around 600 m² g^?1, and the pore size can be adjusted from 2.8 to 5.4 nm. An understanding of the organic–organic self‐assembly behavior in the mixed amphiphilic surfactant system would pave the way for the synthesis of mesoporous materials with controllable structures.     

Supramolecular Chirality in Organo‐, Hydro‐, and Metallogels Derived from Bis‐amides of L‐(+)‐Tartaric Acid: Formation of Highly Aligned 1D Silica Fibers and Evidence of 5‐c Net SnS Topology in a Metallogel Network

A series of bis‐amides derived from L ‐(+)‐tartaric acid was synthesized as potential low‐molecular‐weight gelators. Out of 14 bis‐amides synthesized, 13 displayed organo‐, hydro‐, and ambidextrous gelation behavior. The gels were characterized by methods including circular dichroism, differential scanning calorimetry, optical and electron microscopy, and rheology. One of the gels derived from di‐3‐pyridyltartaramide ( D‐3‐PyTA ) displayed intriguing nanotubular morphology of the gel network, which was exploited as a template to generate highly aligned 1D silica fibers. The gelator D‐3‐PyTA was also exploited to generate metallogels by treatment with various Cu^II/Zn^II salts under suitable conditions. A structure–property correlation on the basis of single‐crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction data was attempted to gain insight into the structures of the gel networks in both organo‐ and metallogels. Such study led to the determination of the gel‐network structure of the Cu^II coordination‐polymer‐based metallogel, which displayed a 2D sheet architecture made of a chloride‐bridged double helix that resembled a 5‐c net SnS topology.     

Triethylamine‐Catalyzed Efficient Synthesis of Oxathiolanes Containing a Highly Polarized Carbon‐Carbon Double Bond from Reaction of Malononitrile,Carbon Disulfide (CS2), and Oxiranes

An efficient synthesis of functionalized 2‐(1,3‐oxathiolan‐2‐ylidene)malononitriles containing a push‐pull C?C bond via a simple reaction between malononitrile, CS₂, and oxiranes in the presence of Et₃N is described (Scheme 1).     

Preparation of Silica Nanoparticles from Organic Laboratory Waste of Silica Gel HF254 and Their Use as a Highly Efficient Catalyst for the One‐Pot Synthesis of 2,3‐Dihydro‐1H‐isoindolone Derivatives

Reaction of an isocyanide with an iminium ion intermediate, formed by reaction between 6‐formyl‐2,3‐dimethoxybenzoic acid and secondary amines (dibenzyl‐ or benzyl(isopropyl)amine) in the presence of silica nanoparticles (silica NPs, ca. 70 nm) proceeds smoothly at room temperature to afford 2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐isoindolone derivatives in high yields.