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Optimal conditions for the use of polyrotaxane as a cross-linker in preparing elastomers with high toughnesses

Polymer Journal (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

The effects of the cyclic molecules within polyrotaxanes moving over axial molecules serving as cross-linking points in a polymeric network preclude observation of the cyclic effects in polymer networks composed of conventional cross-linking agents. As a result, polymer networks with movable cross-linking points behave more gently and stretch better than conventional polymer networks. These polymer networks can be composed of various polymers when using cross-linkers obtained by modifying the vinyl groups on the polyrotaxanes. In this study, the effects of the polyrotaxane cross-linker concentration and solvent content on elastomer preparation were investigated to obtain elastomers with high toughnesses due to the properties of the polyrotaxane cross-linking agent. If elastomers were prepared in a state in which the cyclic effect of the polyrotaxane was easily expressed by the concentration of the polyrotaxane cross-linker and the amount of solvent, the elastomers obtained elongated more and were tougher than elastomers made from conventional cross-linkers.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Izumi Science and Technology Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular & Macromolecular Chemistry, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan

    Sizhe Liu, Tomoya Hayashi, Mitsuo Hara, Takahiro Seki & Yukikazu Takeoka

  2. Department of Advanced Materials Science, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8561, Japan

    Kohzo Ito

  3. Research Center for Crystalline Materials Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan

    Yukikazu Takeoka

  4. Institute of Materials Innovation, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8603, Japan

    Yukikazu Takeoka

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  1. Sizhe Liu
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  2. Tomoya Hayashi
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  3. Mitsuo Hara
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  4. Takahiro Seki
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The paper was written with contributions from all the authors, and all the authors have approved the final version of the paper. YT conceived and directed the project. SL, TH and YT performed the experiments and analyzed the results.

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Correspondence to Yukikazu Takeoka.

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Liu, S., Hayashi, T., Hara, M. et al. Optimal conditions for the use of polyrotaxane as a cross-linker in preparing elastomers with high toughnesses. Polym J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-024-00896-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-024-00896-8

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