CoopHeal · Enhancing Self-healing Properties in Polymer Materials through Cooperative Supramolecular Interactions

The use of specific non-covalent interactions between molecular assemblies constitutes a general strategy to design a large variety of sophisticated materials. Functional supramolecular polymer materials have attracted the attention of scientists because of their multiple potential applications and their attractive improved properties, such as easy processing and recyclability. In this context, the main objective in CoopHeal is to introduce cooperative all-or-nothing interactions in supramolecular polymers. We will combine dinucleoside motifs able to strongly bind through multiple noncovalent interactions, with telechelic polymer chains that are flexible enough to facilitate recombination after damage. Our target material would be a thermoplastic polymer with optimal mechanical properties for easy processing and applied purposes, and with outstanding stimuli-responsive self-healing ability. The platform opens interesting opportunities for both the fundamental exploration of structure-property relationships and the design of technologically useful and economically viable materials. CoopHeal introduces fundamental challenges and unprecedented approaches in chemical self-assembly and constitutes the best research scenario for the MSC candidate, Dr. Anselmo del Prado Abellán, to learn from different fields across physical and polymer sciences and others to further develop his scientific career. The host Nanostructured Molecular Systems and Materials group at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), directed by Prof. David González-Rodríguez (DGR), is an active, emergent group, with a strong background in the topics of the proposal, and funded, among others, by ERC-granted projects.