Light- and heat-induced shape deformation polyurethane actuators that combine self-healing capabilities

• Published in: Materials today communications Vol. 39; p. 109102
• Main Authors: Ren, Zhihui, Zhang, Yujie, Dong, Chen, Li, Naqi, Cui, Zhishuai, Guan, Zhenghui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2024
• Subjects: Copolymerization; Self-healing material; Stimulus-responsive; Stimulus-responsive; Copolymerization; Self-healing material
• ISSN: 2352-4928; 2352-4928
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2024.109102

Materials commonly experience physical damage during regular usage, and the implementation of self-healing materials can effectively repair this damage, thereby prolonging the lifespan of the materials. We have successfully synthesized a polyurethane material, S-PU, by introducing azobenzene and reversible disulfide bonds through co-polymerization. The S-PU film not only exhibits light-induced bending, heat-induced recovery ability, but also good self-healing properties. The disulfide bonds in S-PU accelerate the dynamic exchange as the polymer chains flow under heated conditions, enabling self-repairing without affecting the mechanical properties of the material. S-PU is a self-repairing material that can repair damage in a variety of ways. By combining dual-stimulus response characteristics with self-healing properties, this work provides a new idea for self-healing materials and opens more directions for the practical application of the material.
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