We will introduce a new class of soft dendritic polymer colloids (“dendricolloids”) that have a hierarchical morphology similar to molecular-scale polymer dendrimers, but two orders of magnitude larger in scale. The polymer particulate materials with branched and fractal morphology are fabricated by a simple and scalable process of polymer precipitation in turbulently sheared liquid media. The ultralow interfacial tension of a polymer solution, combined with concurrent phase separation and precipitation, results in the formation of hierarchical fibrillar polymer microgels. The branched, dendritic particles are surrounded by a corona of polymer nanofibers spreading out in all directions. The dendricolloids combine the properties of two of the most fascinating and studied soft matter systems – the freely-suspended dendritic particles have very large excluded volume, while in contact their nanofiber corona possesses the highly adhesive abilities of the nanofiber-padded gecko legs. We investigate and analyze the origin of these effects, which are closely associated with omnipresent van der Waals forces and the phenomenon of “contact splitting” that allows the legs of the gecko lizards to stick to any surface. The fractal branching and contact splitting phenomena of the polymer dendricolloids enable a range of highly unusual properties – gelation at very low volume fractions, strong adhesion to surfaces and to each other, and ability to bind strongly and form coatings, nonwoven sheets, and ultrasoft membranes.

New class of soft dendritic polymer fibroid materials with extraordinary adhesive and structuring capabilities

2019 Spring National Meeting

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