Polymer networks possessing reversible covalent crosslinks constitute a novel material class with the capacity for adapting to an externally applied stimulus. These covalent adaptable networks (CANs) represent a trend in polymer network fabrication towards the rational design of structural materials possessing dynamic characteristics for specialty applications. Herein, we discuss the unique attributes of CANs that must be considered when designing, fabricating, and characterizing these smart materials that respond to either thermal or photochemical stimuli. While there are many reversible reactions which to consider as possible crosslink candidates in CANs, there are very few that are readily and repeatedly reversible. Furthermore, characterization of the mechanical properties of CANs requires special consideration owing to their unique attributes. Ultimately, these attributes are what lead to the advantageous properties displayed by CANs, such as recyclability, healability, tunability, shape changes, and low polymerization stress. Throughout this perspective, we identify several trends and future directions in the emerging field of CANs that demonstrate the progress to date as well as the essential elements that are needed for further advancement.

Chemically cross-linked polymers are inherently limited by stresses that are introduced by post-gelation volume changes during polymerization. It is also difficult to change a cross-linked polymer's shape without a corresponding loss of material properties or substantial stress development. We demonstrate a cross-linked polymer that, upon exposure to light, exhibits stress and/or strain relaxation without any concomitant change in material properties. This result is achieved by introducing radicals via photocleavage of residual photoinitiator in the polymer matrix, which then diffuse via addition-fragmentation chain transfer of midchain functional groups. These processes lead to photoinduced plasticity, actuation, and equilibrium shape changes without residual stress. Such polymeric materials are critical to the development of microdevices, biomaterials, and polymeric coatings.

Radical-mediated thiol−yne step-growth photopolymerizations are utilized to form highly cross-linked polymer networks. This reaction mechanism is shown to be analogous to the thiol−ene photopolymerization; however, each alkyne functional group is capable of consecutive reaction with two thiol functional groups. The thiol−yne reaction involves the sequential propagation of a thiyl radical with either an alkyne or a vinyl functional group followed by chain transfer of the radical to another thiol. The rate of thiyl radical addition to the alkyne was determined to be approximately one-third of that to the vinyl. Chain-growth polymerization of alkyne and vinyl functionalities was only observed for reactions in which the alkyne was originally in excess. Analysis of initial polymerization rates demonstrated a near first-order dependence on thiol concentration, indicating that chain transfer is the rate-determining step. Further analysis revealed that the polymerization rate scaled with the initiation rate to an exponent of 0.65, deviating from classical square root dependence predicted for termination occurring exclusively by bimolecular reactions. A tetrafunctional thiol was photopolymerized with a difunctional alkyne, forming an inherently higher cross-link density than an analogous thiol−ene resin, displaying a higher glass transition temperature (48.9 vs −22.3 °C) and rubbery modulus (80 vs 13 MPa). Additionally, the versatile nature of this chemistry facilitates postpolymerization modification of residual reactive groups to produce materials with unique physical and chemical properties.

Despite originating only a little more than a decade ago, click chemistry has become one of the most powerful paradigms in materials science, synthesis, and modifi cation. By developing and implementing simple, robust chemistries that do not require diffi cult separations or harsh conditions, the ability to form, modify, and control the structure of materials on various length scales has become more broadly available to those in the materials science community. As such, click chemistry has seen broad implementation in polymer functionalization, surface modifi cation, block copolymer and dendrimer synthesis, biomaterials fabrication, biofunctionalization, and in many other areas of materials science. Here, the basic reactions, approaches, and applications of click chemistry in materials science are highlighted, and a brief look is taken into the future enabling developments in this fi eld.

Controlling and reducing the developed region initiated by photoexposure is one of the fundamental goals of optical lithography. Here, we demonstrate a two-color irradiation scheme whereby initiating species are generated by single-photon absorption at one wavelength while inhibiting species are generated by single-photon absorption at a second, independent wavelength. Co-irradiation at the second wavelength thus reduces the polymerization rate, delaying gelation of the material and facilitating enhanced spatial control over the polymerization. Appropriate overlapping of the two beams produces structures with both feature sizes and monomer conversions otherwise unobtainable with use of single- or two-photon absorption photopolymerization. Additionally, the generated inhibiting species rapidly recombine when irradiation with the second wavelength ceases, allowing for fast sequential exposures not limited by memory effects in the material and thus enabling fabrication of complex two- or three-dimensional structures.

A network polymer, incorporating dynamic and reversible crosslinks, was synthesized using the Diels-Alder reaction. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to characterize the reaction rate and thermodynamic equilibrium over a broad temperature range. Equilibrium conversion of the furan and maleimide varied from 74% at 85°C to 24% at 155°C, demonstrating significant depolymerization via the retro-Diels-Alder reaction. The gel point temperature, as determined by rheometry using the Winter-Chambon criterion, was 92°C, corresponding to a gel-point conversion of 71%, consistent with the Flory-Stockmayer equation. The scaling exponents for the complex moduli, viscosity, and plateau modulus, in the vicinity of the gel-point, were determined and compared with experimental and theoretical literature values. Further, the material exhibited a low frequency relaxation owing to dynamic rearrangement of crosslinks by the Diels-Alder and retro-Diels-Alder reactions.

Photopatterning polymerization inhibition volumes by two-color irradiation enables exceptional 3D printing speed and functionality.

Allyl sulfide addition-fragmentation chain transfer was employed concurrently with the radical-mediated formation of a thiol-ene network to enable network adaptation and mitigation of polymerization-induced shrinkage stress. This result represents the first demonstration of simultaneous polymerization and network adaptation in covalently crosslinked networks with significant implications for the fabrication of low stress polymer networks. For comparison, analogous networks incorporating propyl sulfide moieties, incapable of addition-fragmentation, were synthesized and evaluated in parallel. At the highest irradiation intensity, the allyl sulfide-containing material demonstrated a more than 75% reduction in the final stress when compared with the propyl sulfide-containing material. Analysis of the conversion evolution revealed that allyl sulfide addition-fragmentation decreased the polymerization rate owing to thiyl radical sequestration. Slow consumption of the allyl sulfide functional group suggests that intramolecular homolytic substitution occurs by a step-wise, rather than concerted, mechanism. Simultaneous stress and conversion measurements demonstrated that the initial stress evolution was identical for both the allyl and propyl sulfide-containing materials but diverged after gelation. While addition-fragmentation chain transfer was found to occur throughout the polymerization, its effect on the stress evolution was concentrated towards the end of polymerization when network rearrangement becomes the dominant mechanism for stress relaxation. Even after the polymerization reaction was completed, the polymerization-induced shrinkage stress in the allyl sulfide-containing material continued to decrease, exhibiting a maximum in the stress evolution and demonstrating the potential for continuing, longer term stress relaxation.