Supramolecular polymers are an important class of materials whose properties depend on reversible bonds that disassociate and reassociate in response to various stimuli. Metal-ligand based supramolecular bonds are particularly interesting because the strength of the bond is easily tuned by varying the metal, ligand structure and/or counterion. In addition, metal-ligand complexes are ionic in nature and have a strong driving force for phase segregation from the surrounding material enabling further manipulation of material properties. The influence of metal-ligand bond strength, phase segregation of the metal-ligand complex, and counterion effects on the physical and mechanical properties of soft elastomers will be discussed. These effects where studied in side-chain functionalized poly(acrylates) crosslinked with 2,6-bis(<i>N</i>-alkyl-benzimidazolyl)pyridine (BIP) where the metal-ligand bond strength primarily affected the properties of the polymer at high temperatures and strains. Polyurethanes were also prepared where a difunctional BIP ligand was used as a chain extender. The polymer was crosslinked with Zn(II) salts bearing different counterions and distinct differences in the physical and mechanical properties where observed.

Metallo-Supramolecular crosslinked elastomers

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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