Self-healing response in supramolecular polymers based on reversible zinc–histidine interactions. (9th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Enke, Marcel; Bode, Stefan; Vitz, Jürgen; Schacher, Felix H.; Harrington, Matthew J.; Hager, Martin D.; Schubert, Ulrich S.
• Is Part Of: Polymer. Volume 69(2015)
• Page Start: 274
• Page End: 282
• Publication Date: 2015-07-09
• Subjects: Self-healing polymers -- Bio-inspired materials -- Metallopolymers; Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; Polymères -- Périodiques; Polymérisation -- Périodiques; 547.7
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2015.03.068
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3861

Abstract

Abstract: Histidine-metal interactions are utilized in many biological materials as reinforcing crosslinks, and in particular, are believed to contribute as reversible crosslinks to the intrinsic self-recovery behavior of mussel byssal threads. In this contribution, two new histidine-based monomers were synthesized and further copolymerized with butyl methacrylate (BMA) and lauryl methacrylate (LMA) applying the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization technique. Crosslinking with zinc ions resulted in supramolecular metallopolymer networks exhibiting a self-healing behavior that was tunable depending on the specific zinc salt used. The presented results provide a class of new polymeric species with different self-healing capacities. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Two new histidine monomers in good yields were synthesized. Copolymers were prepared via RAFT polymerization. Resulting copolymers were crosslinked with different zinc salts. Self-Healing ability of those materials were investigated. Self-healing behavior was tunable depending on the utilized zinc salt.