Shape Morphing Polymer Networks Based on Ion Gels

基于离子凝胶的形状变形聚合物网络

• 批准号: 2105825
• 负责人: Ryan Hayward
• 金额: $ 10.61万
• 依托单位: University of Colorado at Boulder
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-11-01 至 2021-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2105825&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Shape; Morphing; Polymer; Networks; Based

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Polymer-based materials that can undergo rapid programmed changes in three-dimensional (3D) shape, surface texture, and properties have seen major progress in recent years, offering promise for the development of soft robots, tactile interfaces, and adaptive materials that respond to changes in their environment or user needs. However, critical limitations exist on the performance of current-generation materials, motivating the development of new paradigms for responsive polymer networks, alongside efforts to improve our understanding of these materials on both molecular and macroscopic scales. The current project seeks to take advantage of the unique benefits offered by polymer networks based on ionic liquids (ILs), which are salts with low melting points (often below room temperature) that have useful properties including low volatility and good electrical conductivity and stability. The proposed networks of polymers and ILs could enable transformative advances in the design of shape-morphing materials that can operate under a wide range of environmental conditions and in response to low-voltage electrical control signals. The fundamental understanding developed through the work will also hold relevance for IL-based polymer materials in other contexts including soft, flexible, and responsive electronic devices, or as membranes for batteries or fuel cells. The project will engage, mentor, and train a diverse group of participants at a variety of levels ranging from K-12 students and the general public, to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, with a particular emphasis on expanding a partnership with high-school students in nearby Springfield, MA. TECHNICAL SUMMARY:While shape-morphing polymer networks have seen rapid recent advances, state-of-the-art materials suffer from key limitations. For example, stimuli-responsive polymer hydrogels typically rely on exchange of water with their surroundings, limiting operation to aqueous environments, while dielectric elastomer actuators require very high triggering voltages of ca. 10 kV to function. The current effort seeks to take advantage of the special properties of ionic liquid (IL)-based polymer materials, in particular their very low volatility, high ionic conductivity, and good electrochemical stability, to enable new classes of responsive and shape-morphing polymer networks. Motivated by these goals, the PI will conduct fundamental studies of the thermodynamics, response kinetics, mechanics, and electrical characteristics of IL-based polymers and networks, and demonstrate new types of responsive materials that are capable of functioning in non-hydrated environments and in response to low voltage electrical signals. Alongside the new capabilities for the design of soft actuators and shape morphing materials, the fundamental understanding gained will have broad relevance for IL-based polymer networks in stimuli-responsive materials, membranes, and iontronic devices.

非技术综述：基于聚合物的材料可以在三维(3D)形状、表面纹理和性能方面经历快速编程变化，近年来取得了重大进展，为软机器人、触觉接口和适应环境或用户需求变化的材料的发展提供了希望。然而，当代材料的性能存在着严重的局限性，这促使了响应性聚合物网络的新范式的发展，同时努力提高我们对这些材料在分子和宏观尺度上的理解。目前的项目寻求利用基于离子液体(ILS)的聚合物网络提供的独特好处，离子液体是具有低熔点(通常低于室温)的盐，具有低挥发性、良好的导电性和稳定性等有用特性。建议的聚合物和离子液体网络可以使形状变形材料的设计取得变革性的进展，这种材料可以在广泛的环境条件下运行，并响应低压电气控制信号。通过这项工作形成的基本理解也将适用于基于IL的聚合物材料在其他环境中的应用，包括柔软、灵活和响应性强的电子设备，或用作电池或燃料电池的膜。该项目将吸引、指导和培训不同层次的参与者，从K-12学生和普通公众，到研究生和博士后研究员，特别强调扩大与附近马萨诸塞州斯普林菲尔德的高中生的伙伴关系。技术摘要：尽管形状变形聚合物网络最近取得了快速进展，但最先进的材料受到了关键限制。例如，刺激响应型聚合物水凝胶通常依赖于与周围环境的水交换，将操作限制在水环境中，而介电弹性体致动器需要大约10千伏的非常高的触发电压才能工作。目前的努力是利用基于离子液体(IL)的聚合物材料的特殊性质，特别是其极低的挥发性、高的离子导电性和良好的电化学稳定性，来实现新型的响应性和形状变形的聚合物网络。在这些目标的推动下，PI将对基于IL的聚合物和网络的热力学、响应动力学、力学和电学特性进行基础研究，并展示能够在非水合环境中和对低压电信号做出响应的新型响应材料。除了设计软致动器和形状变形材料的新能力外，所获得的基本理解将对刺激响应材料、膜和离子电子器件中基于IL的聚合物网络具有广泛的相关性。