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Energy‐Dissipative Matrices Enable Synergistic Toughening in Fiber Reinforced Soft Composites
Author(s) -
Huang Yiwan,
King Daniel R.,
Sun Tao Lin,
oyama Takayuki,
Kurokawa Takayuki,
Nakajima Tasuku,
Gong Jian Ping
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201605350
Subject(s) - materials science , self healing hydrogels , composite material , toughness , elastomer , toughening , fiber , soft robotics , ultimate tensile strength , dissipation , modulus , computer science , physics , artificial intelligence , polymer chemistry , actuator , thermodynamics
Tough hydrogels have shown strong potential as structural biomaterials. These hydrogels alone, however, possess limited mechanical properties (such as low modulus) when compared to some load‐bearing tissues, e.g., ligaments and tendons. Developing both strong and tough soft materials is still a challenge. To overcome this obstacle, a new material design strategy has been recently introduced by combining tough hydrogels with woven fiber fabric to create fiber reinforced soft composites (FRSCs). The new FRSCs exhibit extremely high toughness and tensile properties, far superior to those of the neat components, indicating a synergistic effect. Here, focus is on understanding the role of energy dissipation of the soft matrix in the synergistic toughening of FRSCs. By selecting a range of soft matrix materials, from tough hydrogels to weak hydrogels and even a commercially available elastomer, the toughness of the matrix is determined to play a critical role in achieving extremely tough FRSCs. This work provides a good guide toward the universal design of soft composites with extraordinary fracture resistance capacity.