Block copolymer multistate material circuit

Abstract Nature maximizes efficiency and minimizes waste by using simple building blocks to create complex systems. Developing synthetic materials inspired by similar principles like cell multistability could enable sustainable material lifecycles and various applications. Here, we report a recyclable multistate material system with quantitatively defined states and circuit-like transition pathways, offering a series of switchable material properties by dual-phase crystalline control in self-assembled nanostructures. In state with high crystallinity and alignment, the material displays exceptional toughness (441 MJ m −3 ) higher than spider silk and true strength of 738 MPa, raising loads a million times its own weight. Fine-tuning deformation behaviors of rigid states provides excellent impact resistance (force damping up to 94%) outperforming UHMWPE and Kevlar. Rigid states can switch to soft states rapidly and reversibly, with modulus decreasing from 0.88 GPa to 0.1 MPa in seconds. These transitions also enable high-performance actuators for adaptive fabrics, biomedical devices, and micromotors.