Stretchable composites with high oxide loading
Abstract Oxide/elastomer composites combine the functional attributes of metal oxides with the mechanical deformability of elastomers, but face the challenge of balancing oxide loading and stretchability as ceramic fillers decrease the entropic elasticity of polymer networks. Here, we report an inte...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58844-w |
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| author | Yinglin Zhi Yan Shao Rui Xia Weikun Lin Daohang Cai Fuxing Zhao Jiufeng Dong Qingxian Li Zihao Wang Lixuan Li Long Gu Peng Tian Zhen He Jinlong Wang Guiling Ning Baowen Li Canhui Yang Hong Wang Shuhong Yu Yanhao Yu |
| author_facet | Yinglin Zhi Yan Shao Rui Xia Weikun Lin Daohang Cai Fuxing Zhao Jiufeng Dong Qingxian Li Zihao Wang Lixuan Li Long Gu Peng Tian Zhen He Jinlong Wang Guiling Ning Baowen Li Canhui Yang Hong Wang Shuhong Yu Yanhao Yu |
| author_sort | Yinglin Zhi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Oxide/elastomer composites combine the functional attributes of metal oxides with the mechanical deformability of elastomers, but face the challenge of balancing oxide loading and stretchability as ceramic fillers decrease the entropic elasticity of polymer networks. Here, we report an interfacial composite design that enables high oxide fraction and large stretchability by minimizing the contact area yet maximizing the binding strength between the oxide and elastomer. The elongation at break for an interfacial composite with 80 vol% of oxides reaches 500%, whereas that of a regular bulk composite with the same oxide fraction is 20%. These composites are synthesized based on a Marangoni co-assembly process with tuned interfacial tension and reaction at the water-oil interface. The assembly chemistry is nearly independent of oxides’ sizes, compositions, geometries, and functions, making this interfacial structure broadly applicable to optical, electric, magnetic, and thermal-conducting oxides. Compared to bulk composites, the interfacial composites deliver larger magnetic actuation, lower thermal resistance, and higher conformability with nonplanar surfaces, providing rich implications for designing intelligent and electronic systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b998097036bf4d0dbc736c4df048e590 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-b998097036bf4d0dbc736c4df048e5902025-08-20T02:28:10ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-58844-wStretchable composites with high oxide loadingYinglin Zhi0Yan Shao1Rui Xia2Weikun Lin3Daohang Cai4Fuxing Zhao5Jiufeng Dong6Qingxian Li7Zihao Wang8Lixuan Li9Long Gu10Peng Tian11Zhen He12Jinlong Wang13Guiling Ning14Baowen Li15Canhui Yang16Hong Wang17Shuhong Yu18Yanhao Yu19Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologySchool of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologySchool of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Xidian UniversitySchool of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologySchool of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyAbstract Oxide/elastomer composites combine the functional attributes of metal oxides with the mechanical deformability of elastomers, but face the challenge of balancing oxide loading and stretchability as ceramic fillers decrease the entropic elasticity of polymer networks. Here, we report an interfacial composite design that enables high oxide fraction and large stretchability by minimizing the contact area yet maximizing the binding strength between the oxide and elastomer. The elongation at break for an interfacial composite with 80 vol% of oxides reaches 500%, whereas that of a regular bulk composite with the same oxide fraction is 20%. These composites are synthesized based on a Marangoni co-assembly process with tuned interfacial tension and reaction at the water-oil interface. The assembly chemistry is nearly independent of oxides’ sizes, compositions, geometries, and functions, making this interfacial structure broadly applicable to optical, electric, magnetic, and thermal-conducting oxides. Compared to bulk composites, the interfacial composites deliver larger magnetic actuation, lower thermal resistance, and higher conformability with nonplanar surfaces, providing rich implications for designing intelligent and electronic systems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58844-w |
| spellingShingle | Yinglin Zhi Yan Shao Rui Xia Weikun Lin Daohang Cai Fuxing Zhao Jiufeng Dong Qingxian Li Zihao Wang Lixuan Li Long Gu Peng Tian Zhen He Jinlong Wang Guiling Ning Baowen Li Canhui Yang Hong Wang Shuhong Yu Yanhao Yu Stretchable composites with high oxide loading Nature Communications |
| title | Stretchable composites with high oxide loading |
| title_full | Stretchable composites with high oxide loading |
| title_fullStr | Stretchable composites with high oxide loading |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stretchable composites with high oxide loading |
| title_short | Stretchable composites with high oxide loading |
| title_sort | stretchable composites with high oxide loading |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58844-w |
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