Stored strain polyelectrolyte complexes and methods of forming
AssigneeThe Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsJoseph B. Schlenoff, Qifeng Wang
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to articles comprising a polyelectrolyte complex which stores mechanical strain and methods of forming articles comprising a polyelectrolyte complex which stores mechanical strain.
Claims24
An article comprising a polyelectrolyte complex comprising an interpenetrating network of at least one predominantly positively charged polyelectrolyte polymer and at least one predominantly negatively charged polyelectrolyte polymer, the polyelectrolyte complex further comprising stored strain with a stored strain factor of at least 2.
A method of forming an article comprising a polyelectrolyte complex comprising an interpenetrating network of at least one predominantly positively charged polyelectrolyte polymer and at least one predominantly negatively charged polyelectrolyte polymer, the polyelectrolyte complex further comprising stored strain with a stored strain factor of at least 2, the method comprising:
- contacting a substantially undoped polyelectrolyte complex comprising an interpenetrating network of at least one predominantly positively charged polyelectrolyte polymer and at least one predominantly negatively charged polyelectrolyte polymer with water to thereby hydrate the polyelectrolyte complex;
- and
- applying an external stress to the hydrated polyelectrolyte complex, the external stress sufficient to increase at least one dimension of the hydrated polyelectrolyte complex.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.