Polymer Mechanochemistry in Microbubbles

Advanced Materials, vol. 35, pp. e2305130

Abstract

Abstract Polymer mechanochemistry is a promising technology to convert mechanical energy into chemical functionality by breaking covalent and supramolecular bonds site‐selectively. Yet, the mechanochemical reaction rates of covalent bonds in typically used ultrasonication setups lead to reasonable conversions only after comparably long sonication times. This can be accelerated by either increasing the reactivity of the mechanoresponsive moiety or by modifying the encompassing polymer topology. Here, a microbubble system with a tailored polymer shell consisting of an N 2 gas core and a mechanoresponsive disulfide‐containing polymer network is presented. It is found that the mechanochemical activation of the disulfides is greatly accelerated using these microbubbles compared to commensurate solid core particles or capsules filled with liquid. Aided by computational simulations, it is found that low shell thickness, low shell stiffness and crosslink density, and a size‐dependent eigenfrequency close to the used ultrasound frequency maximize the mechanochemical yield over the course of the sonication process.

Authors 10

1. Mingjun Xuan Aachen Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany

2. Jilin Fan Aachen Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany

3. Vu Ngoc Khiêm Aachen Department of Continuum Mechanics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Continuum Mechanics RWTH Aachen University Eilfschornsteinstr. 18 52062 Aachen Germany

   Department of Continuum Mechanics, RWTH Aachen University, Eilfschornsteinstr. 18, 52062 Aachen, Germany

4. Miancheng Zou Aachen Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany

5. Kai‐Oliver Brenske Aachen Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany

   Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany

6. Ahmed Mourran Aachen

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

7. Rostislav A. Vinokur Aachen

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

8. Lifei Zheng Aachen

   DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

   Affiliation as printed

   DWI – Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

   Wenzhou Institute University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Wenzhou 325001 China

   DWI – Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

9. Mikhail Itskov Aachen Department of Continuum Mechanics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Continuum Mechanics RWTH Aachen University Eilfschornsteinstr. 18 52062 Aachen Germany

   Department of Continuum Mechanics, RWTH Aachen University, Eilfschornsteinstr. 18, 52062 Aachen, Germany

10. Robert Göstl corresponding Aachen Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry

    DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    DWI – Leibniz‐Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany

    Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany

    Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany