Materials

Latest Innovations

Environmentally Stable Core-Shell Microcapsules With Polymeric Protective Coatings

 

Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a method of protecting microcapsules from harsh environments. This added barrier will enable microcapsules...

 

Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a method of protecting microcapsules from harsh environments. This added barrier will enable microcapsules to maintain their liquid core in high temperature, causatic chemical contact, or physical abuse for long periods of time. The technology adds very little time and expense to the manufacturing of microcapsules.

Brightness Equalized Quantum Dots

 

Dr. Smith from the University of Illinois has developed a series of colloidal quantum dots that have precisely matched brightness among different colors. The...

 

Dr. Smith from the University of Illinois has developed a series of colloidal quantum dots that have precisely matched brightness among different colors. The brightness of the quantum dots is quantitatively equalized on single particle and ensemble level, using a core/shell/shell structure. Such brightness equalized quantum dots can be applied for quantitative and multiplex bio-imaging, as well as in optoelectronic devices and displays.

Scaffold-Free Three Dimensional Battery Electrode

 

Dr. Paul Braun from the University of Illinois has developed a new battery cathode without a scaffold. The new structure relies on the active metal oxide material...

 

Dr. Paul Braun from the University of Illinois has developed a new battery cathode without a scaffold. The new structure relies on the active metal oxide material to provide support for the weaker current collector during the manufacturing process, thereby disposing the need to use any inactive material as a support structure. This new method and structure carries a higher volumetric energy density because there is no room wasted on a scaffold.

Smart Polyurea Systems

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a powerful new platform of polyureas that enable systems that are hydrolyzable, self-healing,...

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a powerful new platform of polyureas that enable systems that are hydrolyzable, self-healing, and malleable, opening exciting applications in the packaging, coating, and adhesives industries.  In this new class of polyureas, a bulky substituent is attached to one of the nitrogen atoms of the urea bond and destabilizes the typically stable linkage leading to dynamic dissociation. The polymers can be built from the vast library of isocyanate monomers already developed for the polyurea and polyurethane industries, yielding a wide range of materials with varying, engineered characteristics.

Hydrolyzable Polyureas (TF14085)

Hydrolyzable polymers are currently used in the agriculture and food industries as environmentally friendly plastics and packaging materials and in the biomedical field as drug delivery systems, surgical sutures, and scaffolds for tissue engineering.  However, most hydrolyzable polymers, based on polyester materials or materials containing anhydride, acetal, ketal, or imine linkages, are synthesized via condensation or ring-opening polymerizations, often requiring high temperature conditions and catalysts and resulting in by-products.  In contrast, because polyureas are made via a simple and clean chemistry without catalysts or by-products, hydrolyzable polyureas offer users the ability to tune polymer systems to specific applications without involving complex chemistries.

In this platform of polyureas, the destabilization introduced by the bulky substituent on the nitrogen of the urea bond leads to dynamic dissociation to the corresponding amines and isocyanates, with the isocyanates further undergoing irreversible hydrolysis in aqueous solution and complete degradation of the polyurea.



These degradable polymers are easily synthesized by reacting multifunctional bulky amines with isocyanates and exhibit tunable degradation kinetics.

Hydrolyzable Polyureas Bearing Hindered Urea Bonds
Hanze Ying and Jianjun Cheng
Journal of American Chemical Society 2014 136 (49), 16974-16977

Polyureas That Love to Break Down
Chemical and Engineering News, December 8, 2014, http://cen.acs.org/articles/92/i49/Polyureas-Love-Break-Down.html


Self-Healing Polyureas (TF12136)

Incorporating the appropriate bulky substituents into polyureas enables polymers that can undergo autonomous, catalyst-free repair at room/low temperatures without the use of microcapsule healing agents, special precursors or customized laboratory/environmental conditions.  Commercially available materials are used to produce self-healing polymers with capabilities to re-heal multiple times.

Here the bulky substituents are chosen so that (i) the dissociation and reverse (polymer-forming) reactions are rapid and (ii) the polymer-forming reaction is highly favored, thereby insuring optimum bulk mechanical properties of the polymer.  Conventional  polyureas and poly(urethane-urea)s can thus readily be made dynamic and self-healing while maintaining their stability by replacing regular amines with amines containing bulky substituents.  By tuning the substituent, the dynamic properties of the polymer and its mechanical properties can be controlled. 





Dynamic Urea Bond for the Design of Reversible and Self-Healing Polymers
Hanze Ying, Yanfeng Zhang, and Jianjun Cheng
Nature Communications 2014 5:3218 doi: 10.1038/ncomms4218

Also see.

Malleable Polyureas (TF15006 / 2015-152)

The polyurea systems can also be made malleable and recyclable by exploiting the reversible nature of the urea bond with the bulky subsituent.  The cross-linked systems bearing the bulky substituents can be ground into powders and pressed/molded as shown below.




The polyurea systems can also be recycled as shown below.

An Internally Heated Shape Memory Polymer Dry Adhesive

 

Dr. Kim from the University of Illinois has developed a 2-part dry adhesive which has an electrically conductive layer and an adhesive layer. The electrically...

 

Dr. Kim from the University of Illinois has developed a 2-part dry adhesive which has an electrically conductive layer and an adhesive layer. The electrically conductive layer is made from carbon black and shape memory polymer (SMP), while the adhesive layer is made of SMP. Applying voltage to the adhesive strips allows the SMP to bond to both curved and flat surfaces. Re-application of voltage allows the adhesive to be removed. This technology represents improvements over current dry adhesives because of the internal heating capability, reversibility of shape before and after bonding and reusability.

Silicone Microspheres by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis

 

Dr. Suslick from the University of Illinois has a method of facbricating silicone microspheres using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis, providing the first scalable...

 

Dr. Suslick from the University of Illinois has a method of facbricating silicone microspheres using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis, providing the first scalable synthesis of silicone microspheres. This method produces fully cross-linked, micron-sized PDMS microspheres and allows for the tuning of size and composition of microspheres, including production of magnetic and fluorescent microspheres for medical applications. This method is less expensive, simpler, and more scalable than existing methods of synthesizing silicone microspheres.

Chirally active Carbon Nanoparticles for Enantioselective Separation of Racemic Mixtures

 

 

Dr. Dipanjan Pan from the University of Illinois has...

 

 

Dr. Dipanjan Pan from the University of Illinois has developed compounds featuring carbon nanoparticles (CNPs), which enantioselectively absorb chiral molecules. This allows for the separation of racemic mixtures. These CNPs are inexpensive to produce and result in better or comparable enantiomeric excess in relation to similar adsorbents. These chiral CNPs are biodegradable, allowing for simple removal by enzyme after separation is complete. This technology is very useful for separating racemic mixtures when a specific enantiomer is targeted. 

Benefits
• This technology is a cost effective means of chiral resolution which does not suffer from the toxicity and reactivity issues that other chiral nanoparticles do.
• The chiral CNPs are biodegradable.
• Chiral CNPs are less toxic and less reactive than current chiral nanoparticle technologies

 
 

Rapid, predictable curing of composites

 

Professors Jeffrey Moore, Nancy Sotos, and Scott White from the University of Illinois has developed a novel method to create composites that allows for much easier...

Professors Jeffrey Moore, Nancy Sotos, and Scott White from the University of Illinois has developed a novel method to create composites that allows for much easier manufacturing and more design latitude.

Shape Memory Polymer Reusable Dry Adhesive

Dr. Seok Kim from the University of IL has developed a removable and reusable dry adhesive for wall hanging applications. This invention uses a shape memory polymer and...

Dr. Seok Kim from the University of IL has developed a removable and reusable dry adhesive for wall hanging applications. This invention uses a shape memory polymer and internal heating coil to change the SMP's adhesion characteristics. In 10 seconds it can change states, thus altering its adhesion characteristics. It can be attached to accessories, like a hook, that are attached to walls in order to hang objects on. Due to the SMP's surface, the adhesive does not pick up debris or degrade over time. This adhesive leaves no residue.

3D Printing of High Quality Materials

Dr. Moore from the University of Illinois has developed a new method of 3D printing which enables the use of high quality components. This printing method cures materials...

Dr. Moore from the University of Illinois has developed a new method of 3D printing which enables the use of high quality components. This printing method cures materials as they print and removes the need for additional processing steps.

This invention could be used to make 3D printed composite materials. It expands the applications of 3D printing.

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