Dynamic covalent adaptive polymer network materials based on hindered urea bonds

Abstract

Covalent adaptive polymeric networks covalently crosslinked with dynamic covalent bonds that undergo reversible exchange reaction hold good mechanical properties, dimensional stability, and solvent resistance as conventional thermosets and furthermore exhibit self-healability, reprocessability, sustainability and recyclability. Among many dynamic covalent bonds and interactions, hindered urea bond (HUB) that contains a bulky group on one of the two nitrogen atoms is promising for the development of dynamic covalent network materials. The developed HUB-bearing networks have been utilized for various applications requiring dynamic properties, such as energy harvesting and storage, sensor, flexible and wearable electronics, and surface coatings. This review summarizes the development of effective strategies to fabricate dynamic polymer networks based on HUBs with focus on the design and synthesis of effective HUBs with various bulkyamino groups as well as the synthesis of various polymeric materials.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Covalent adaptive network
• hindered urea bond
• poly(urethane-urea)
• network
• self-healing
• reprocessability

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported from Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) in Canada through Discovery Grant and Canada Research Chair (CRC) Award. JKO was entitled Tier II CRC in Nanobioscience (2011-2021). TP greatly thanks the Office of the VP Research at Concordia University for her Concordia University Graduate Incentive Fellowship.

Notes on contributors

Twinkal Patel

Dr Jung Kwon (John) Oh is currently a Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. He completed his two-term appointment as a Canada Research Chair Tier II in Nanobioscience (2011-2021). After earned his PhD degree from the University of Toronto in 2004, he completed his two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University, supported by NSERC Canada. Since 2010 at Concordia, Dr. Oh has established a strong research program that brings together research from the field of polymer chemistry and materials with an emphasis on synthesis and applications at the crossroad of biology and materials science.

Jung Kwon Oh

Twinkal Patel is a PhD candidate under the supervision of Prof. Oh in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. She has obtained her BSc degree majoring in Biochemistry Specialization from Concordia University. Her research interest focuses on designing dynamic self-healing polymeric networks for energy storage applications and wearable electronics.