Self-Healable and Tough Polymer Electrolyte Composites Based on Associative Nanostructural Networks

The development of reversible nanostructural associations in graft copolymer architecture has enabled the fabrication of tough polymer electrolyte composites that exhibit autonomous self-healing properties at room temperature. Random copolymers comprising docosyl acrylates (A22) were employed to form network structures in ionic liquids. The behavior of the resulting composites was found to be dictated by associative domain formation and subsequent changes in the intermolecular interactions. Remarkable mechanical properties were achieved without undermining the self-healing capability via adjustments in the chemical structure. This feature is recognizably different considering the conventional trade-off relationship between selfhealing and mechanical properties. Thermal and scattering experiments were conducted to elucidate the structural evolution of the composites. The relative changes in the electrical properties upon mechanical deformation were utilized to realize self-healable strain sensors.