Thioether-Functionalized Self-Healing Polyolefins for Flexible Conductors

The
growing demand for flexible conductors in wearable electronics
and soft robotics drives the need for elastomeric substrates with
multiple functions, including robust mechanical properties, strong
interfacial adhesion, and autonomous self-healing. Herein, we report
a new class of polyolefin-based elastomers that address these multifaceted
requirements. These materials are synthesized via a one-pot, scandium-catalyzed
copolymerization of ethylene with thiophenyl-substituted propylenes
in a sequence-controlled manner. By varying the substituents on the
sulfur atom and the commoner feed ratio, the mechanical properties
of the resulting copolymers can be finely tuned across a wide range.
Remarkably, phenylthio-substituted copolymers exhibit high toughness,
excellent elasticity, and intrinsic self-healing capability. Furthermore,
these copolymers exhibit strong adhesion to gold nanoparticles due
to the unique affinity between sulfur and gold. This interaction significantly
enhances the durability of gold-coated copolymer conductors. This
work underscores the potential of catalyst-controlled copolymerization
of functionalized olefins for creating multifunctional polyolefin
materials for flexible electronic applications.