Page 53 - Plastics News February 2025
P. 53

PRODUCT NEWS




                                                                Architectured  Silicones:  Bridging  Opposite
                                                                Properties

                                                                Architectured silicones designed through 3D
                                                                printing offer innovative solutions for combining
                                                                creep resistance and autonomous self-healing.
                                                                These materials integrate permanent and dy-
                                                                namic covalent bonds into multilayer structures,
                                                                enabling applications in biomedical devices and
                                                                robotics. For instance, vascular tubes fabricated
                                                                with this approach have demonstrated the abil-
                                                                ity to restore functionality after severe mechani-
                                                                cal damage. The design, inspired by biological
                                                                architectures, reconciles seemingly contradic-
                                                                tory properties, allowing the silicones to resist
                                                                deformation while autonomously repairing cuts
                                                                or tears. This advancement paves the way for
                                                                robust, long-lasting,  and versatile materials in
                                                                critical applications.

          breakthrough. These materials, doped with ac-         The convergence  of vitrimers, supramolecular
          tivated polypyrrole nanotubes (acPPyNTs), uti-        hydrogels, and architectured silicones is reshap-
          lize hydrogen bonds to achieve self-healing at        ing the landscape of polymer science. These
          temperatures  above 75 C. With a specific ca-         materials improve sustainability by reducing the
                                   0
          pacitance of 316.86 mF cm , tensile strength of       need for replacements and open new avenues
                                      -2
          0.9 MPa, and elasticity of 1300%, they excel in       in biomedicine, energy storage, flexible elec-
          flexible supercapacitor applications and high-        tronics, and industrial coatings. Integrating self-
          strength self-healable supercapacitor. Such de-       healing technologies into practical applications
          vices offer high-performance energy storage for       signifies a major leap forward, addressing envi-
          portable electronics, maintaining functionality       ronmental and functional challenges in modern
          even after mechanical damage. The hydrogels’          material science.
          unique combination of mechanical durability, en-
          ergy density, and ease of repair by thermal ac-                                 Source – Plastics engineering
          tivation positions them as a superior alternative
          for future energy systems.

















              February 2025                                                                  PLASTICS NEWS  53
   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58