Stretchable Self-Healing Polymeric Dielectrics Cross-Linked Through Metal–Ligand Coordination

A self-healing dielectric elastomer is achieved by the incorporation of metal-ligand coordination as cross-linking sites in nonpolar polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymers. The ligand is 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylic amide, while the metal salts investigated here are Fe(2+) and Zn(2+) with various counteranions. The kinetically labile coordination between Zn(2+) and bipyridine endows the polymer fast self-healing ability at ambient condition. When integrated into organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) as gate dielectrics, transistors with FeCl2 and ZnCl2 salts cross-linked PDMS exhibited increased dielectric constants compared to PDMS and demonstrated hysteresis-free transfer characteristics, owing to the…

• SN
  Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
• GD
  Generalitat de Catalunya
• S
  Samsung
• DF
  Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
• NS
  Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
• AF
  Air Force Office of Scientific Research

  Award: FA9550-15-1-0106