Weldable and Closed-loop Recyclable Monolithic Dynamic Covalent Polymer Aerogels

12 August 2021, Version 2
This content is a preprint and has not undergone peer review at the time of posting.

Abstract

Owing to their low density, high porosity and unique micro-nanostructures, aerogels are attractive for applications in various aspects, but at the same time, suffer from shrinkage and/or cracking during preparation, mechanical brittleness, low production efficiency, and non-degradation. Herein, we introduce the concept of dynamic covalent polymer chemistry to produce a new class of aerogelsreferred to as DCPAs. The resulting light DCPAs display large-scale preparation prospect and feature high porosity (90.7-91.3%), large degrees of compression (80% strain) and bending (diametral deflection of 30 mm) without any cracks, as well as considerable tensile property (elongation at break of 32.7%). In addition, our DCPAs showcase emergent characteristics of weldability, repairability, and closed-loop recyclability that are highly desirable for affording versatile materials platforms but hardly achieved by traditional aerogels. Benefiting from the robust porous structures, we demonstrate the potential of the DCPAs for applications in thermal insulation and emulsion separation.

Keywords

dynamic covalent polymer
aerogel
closed-loop recyclability
weldability
degradability

Supplementary materials

Title
Description
Actions
Title
Weldable and Closed-loop Recyclable Monolithic Dynamic Covalent Polymer Aerogels
Description
Supplementary Materials
Actions

Comments

Comments are not moderated before they are posted, but they can be removed by the site moderators if they are found to be in contravention of our Commenting Policy [opens in a new tab] - please read this policy before you post. Comments should be used for scholarly discussion of the content in question. You can find more information about how to use the commenting feature here [opens in a new tab] .
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy [opens in a new tab] and Terms of Service [opens in a new tab] apply.