Cited by 371Supramolecular Chemistry and ComplexesPolymer composites and self-healingSupramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials

Photoswitching topology in polymer networks with metal–organic cages as crosslinks

Gu, Yuwei, Alt, Eric A., Wang, Heng, Li, Xiaopeng, Willard, Adam P., Johnson, Jeremiah A.·2018·Nature

Abstract

Polymer networks can have a range of desirable properties such as mechanical strength, wide compositional diversity between different materials, permanent porosity, convenient processability and broad solvent compatibility 1,2. Designing polymer networks from the bottom up with new structural motifs and chemical compositions can be used to impart dynamic features such as malleability or self-healing, or to allow the material to respond to environmental stimuli 3-8. However, many existing systems exhibit only one operational state that is defined by the material's composition and topology 3-6; or their responsiveness may be irreversible 7,9,10 and limited to a single network property 11,12 (such as stiffness). Here we use cooperative self-assembly as a design principle to prepare a material that can be switched between two topological states. By using networks of polymer-linked metal-organic cages in which the cages change shape and size on irradiation, we can reversibly switch the network topology with ultraviolet or green light. This photoswitching produces coherent changes in several network properties at once, including branch functionality, junction fluctuations, defect tolerance, shear modulus, stress-relaxation behaviour and self-healing. Topology-switching materials could prove useful in fields such as soft robotics and photo-actuators as well as providing model systems for fundamental polymer physics studies.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41586-018-0339-0

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Authors
Gu, Y., Alt, E. A., Wang, H., Li, X., Willard, A. P., & Johnson, J. A.
Affiliations
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
  • University of South Florida (US)
Corresponding author
Johnson, Jeremiah A.
Venue
Nature
Published
2018-07-18
Volume
560
Issue
7716
Pages
65-69
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2884331733
Cited by
371
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 23 · 2025: 46 · 2024: 45 · 2023: 48 · 2022: 56 · 2021: 54 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 48 · 2018: 8
FWCI
15.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Polymer composites and self-healing
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials
Keywords
photoswitching, polymer networks, metal-organic cages, crosslinking, switching topologies, cooperative self-assembly, photoresponsive gels, self-healing, stress relaxation, shear modulus, defect tolerance, soft robotics

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