Solvent Polarity‐Induced Ultrahigh Strength Supramolecular Polyzwitterionic Organogels with Impact‐Stiffening, Damping, and Anti‐Freezing Properties

Widely used polyzwitterionic hydrogels usually suffer from significant mechanical loss, owing to the strong hydration of the zwitterionic groups. Herein, a novel solvent polarity-induced strategy is introduced for developing pure supramolecular polyzwitterionic organogels with ultrahigh strength by using a facile one-pot synthesis process. The mechanical properties of these polyzwitterionic organogels can be well-tuned by adjusting the polarity of dihydric alcohol solvents to regulate hydrogen bonding and dipole-dipole interactions between polymer chains in the organogel network. The polyzwitterionic organogels exhibit superior mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 1.5 MPa, elongation at break of 669%, toughness of 3.2 MJ m<sup>-</sup> <sup>3</sup>, and adhesive strength of 506 kPa. Additionally, the polyzwitterionic organogels display outstanding impact response performance (maximum strain-stiffening ratio of 140 times, and maximum impact-stiffening ratio of 450 times) and energy dissipation properties (energy dissipation ratio of above 60%, and maximum loss factor of 2.0 at 1 Hz), resulting from the presence of inter-molecular internal friction. Notably, the synergistic interactions between zwitterionic groups on polymer side chains and the organic solvents impart these organogels with mechanical flexibility and vibration absorption capabilities even in low-temperature environments. Furthermore, the polyzwitterionic organogels demonstrate flaw-insensitivity, self-healing ability, and water processability, broadening their applicability to more complex conditions.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Small
Published
2025-05-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202501737
Citations
11
Primary Topic
Polymer composites and self-healing
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
6.67

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Solvent Polarity‐Induced Ultrahigh Strength Supramolecular Polyzwitterionic Organogels with Impact‐Stiffening, Damping, and Anti‐Freezing Properties

Jianhai Yang, Tian Xu, Hongying Wang, Danyang Chen et al.
11 citations
Small
Polymer composites and self-healing
6.67
article

Solvent Polarity‐Induced Ultrahigh Strength Supramolecular Polyzwitterionic Organogels with Impact‐Stiffening, Damping, and Anti‐Freezing Properties

Jianhai Yang, Tian Xu, Hongying Wang, Danyang Chen, Wenguang Liu, Haolun Wang
article en
11 citations

Abstract

Widely used polyzwitterionic hydrogels usually suffer from significant mechanical loss, owing to the strong hydration of the zwitterionic groups. Herein, a novel solvent polarity-induced strategy is introduced for developing pure supramolecular polyzwitterionic organogels with ultrahigh strength by using a facile one-pot synthesis process. The mechanical properties of these polyzwitterionic organogels can be well-tuned by adjusting the polarity of dihydric alcohol solvents to regulate hydrogen bonding and dipole-dipole interactions between polymer chains in the organogel network. The polyzwitterionic organogels exhibit superior mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 1.5 MPa, elongation at break of 669%, toughness of 3.2 MJ m<sup>-</sup> <sup>3</sup>, and adhesive strength of 506 kPa. Additionally, the polyzwitterionic organogels display outstanding impact response performance (maximum strain-stiffening ratio of 140 times, and maximum impact-stiffening ratio of 450 times) and energy dissipation properties (energy dissipation ratio of above 60%, and maximum loss factor of 2.0 at 1 Hz), resulting from the presence of inter-molecular internal friction. Notably, the synergistic interactions between zwitterionic groups on polymer side chains and the organic solvents impart these organogels with mechanical flexibility and vibration absorption capabilities even in low-temperature environments. Furthermore, the polyzwitterionic organogels demonstrate flaw-insensitivity, self-healing ability, and water processability, broadening their applicability to more complex conditions.

SmallVol. 21(30)
Tianjin University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Clean water and sanitation
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
Polymer composites and self-healing
6.67
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.