IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-64000-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Supramolecular networks with high shear stiffening enabled by metal ion-mediated hydrogen bonding enhancement strategy

Author

Listed:
  • Zhuo Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Heng Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Dongguan University of Technology)

  • Yuxi Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Binli Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chizhou University)

  • Shuhan Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhi-Yan Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qianhua Huang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Science and Technology Institute of Advanced Technology)

  • Xue-Feng Yu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Rui He

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Shear stiffening gel (SSG) with prominent rate-dependent mechanical properties is promising for impact protection, but conventional boron-based SSG suffers from toxicity and corrosion arising from boric acid. Here, we design a boron-free supramolecular dynamic reversible network of polytitanosiloxane (PTS) based on the metal-ion-mediated hydrogen bonding enhancement strategy. Different oxidation states of Ti atoms in the network influence the charge distribution of the adjacent hydroxyl groups (Ti-OH). The electrostatic potential of the H-bond donor and acceptor could be effectively modulated by the Ti4+ and Ti3+ cations, thereby enhancing the H-bond strength. The resulting PTS SSG exhibits exceptional shear stiffening (~2800 times, 0.1–100 Hz), negligible corrosion, and low cytotoxicity (Grade 1). The PTS SSG is further explored for impact protection materials and flexible mechanical sensors in practice. The hydrogen bonding enhancement strategy also paves the way for developing dynamic reversible networks to fabricate next-generation smart materials.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhuo Chen & Heng Chen & Yuxi Li & Binli Wang & Shuhan Chen & Zhi-Yan Chen & Qianhua Huang & Xue-Feng Yu & Rui He, 2025. "Supramolecular networks with high shear stiffening enabled by metal ion-mediated hydrogen bonding enhancement strategy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-64000-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64000-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64000-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-64000-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-64000-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.