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Topological prime

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Abstract

This paper describes a general method, called topological prime, to stitch functional groups to a substrate of entropic polymer network. The precursor of a topological primer contains polymers, crosslinkers, and coupling agents. When the precursor is applied on the surface of the substrate, the crosslinkers link the primer polymers into a primer network, in topological entanglement with the substrate network, while the coupling agents link the primer network to the functional groups. The use of topological prime is demonstrated by priming a hydrophobic elastomer of an arbitrary shape for hydrophilic coating. We describe an approach that fulfills two fundamental requirements: wetting and adhesion. The coated elastomer maintains hydrophilicity and lubricity after stretch, scratch, swell, and slide. As a further demonstration, a hydrogel substrate is primed for hydrophobic coating. Topological prime opens an enormous space for applications in engineering and biomedicine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Kavli Institute for Bionano Science and Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

    XuXu Yang, CanHui Yang, JunJie Liu, Xi Yao & ZhiGang Suo

  2. State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power & Mechatronic System, Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province, Department of Engineering Mechanics and Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    XuXu Yang & JunJie Liu

  3. Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China

    CanHui Yang

  4. Key Lab for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China

    Xi Yao

Authors
  1. XuXu Yang
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  2. CanHui Yang
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  3. JunJie Liu
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  4. Xi Yao
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  5. ZhiGang Suo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to ZhiGang Suo.

Additional information

The work at Harvard was supported by National Science Foundation, Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (Grant No. DMR-14-20570). Yang X X and Liu J J are visiting students at Harvard University supported by the China Scholarship Council.

Supporting Information

Topological prime

Supplementary material, approximately 4.91 MB.

Supplementary material, approximately 4.91 MB.

Supplementary material, approximately 4.85 MB.

Supplementary material, approximately 5.61 MB.

Supplementary material, approximately 5.85 MB.

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Yang, X., Yang, C., Liu, J. et al. Topological prime. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 63, 1314–1322 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-019-1498-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-019-1498-y

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