Chemical amplification in self-strengthening materials
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
InventorsPaul V. Braun, Shuqi Lai, Ariane Vartanian
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Abstract
A self-strengthening material is provided, the material comprising a polymer matrix having a plurality of chemical amplifiers dispersed throughout the polymer matrix and a plurality of triggerable reservoirs, the triggerable reservoirs capable of releasing at least one activator of the plurality of chemical amplifiers, wherein the plurality of chemical amplifiers reacts with the at least one activator to produce additional activators capable of changing the mechanical properties of the polymer matrix, and thus strengthening the material.
Claims20
A self-reinforcing material comprising:
- (a) a polymer doped with a metal salt, and a chemical amplifier, wherein the chemical amplifier is capable of amplifying a change in pH at a locus within the polymer, and
- (b) a plurality of triggerable reservoirs comprising an activator, wherein the triggerable reservoir is capable of releasing a catalytic quantity of the activator that induces the autocatalytic decomposition of the chemical amplifier in response to a mechanical stimulus at the locus;
- wherein the locus is any position within the polymer where the triggerable reservoir is located;
- wherein the chemical amplifier amplifies a change in local pH at the locus when the chemical amplifiers react with the catalytic quantity of the activator released by the triggerable reservoir in response to the mechanical stimulus, thereby changing the chemical and physical properties of the polymer.
A method to prepare a self-reinforcing material, the method comprising:
- coating a substrate with a polymer layer doped with a stabilized acid or base amplifier, metal salts, and a plurality of triggerable reservoirs comprising an acid or base catalyst, wherein the acid or base amplifier is capable of amplifying a change in pH at a locus within the polymer layer, and wherein the triggerable reservoir is capable of releasing a catalytic quantity of the acid catalyst or the base catalyst that induces the autocatalytic decomposition of the acid or base amplifier in response to a mechanical stimulus at the locus, wherein the locus is any position within the polymer where the triggerable reservoir is located;
- wherein when a mechanical stimulus causes damage to the coated substrate, the acid or base amplifier amplifies a change in local pH at the locus when it reacts with the catalytic quantity of the acid catalyst or the base catalyst released by the triggerable reservoir in response to the mechanical stimulus, thereby forming a cross-linked metallopolymer to form a self-reinforced material at the locus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.