"Dissolve-on-Demand" 3D Printed Materials: Polymerizable Eutectics for Generating High Modulus, Thermoresponsive and Photoswitchable Eutectogels

Solvent-free photopolymerization of vinyl monomers to produce high modulus materials with applications in 3D printing and photoswitchable materials is demonstrated. Polymerizable eutectic (PE) mixtures are prepared by simply heating and stirring various molar ratios of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), acrylamide (AAm) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The structural and thermal properties of the resulting mixtures are evaluated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy as well as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). UV photocuring kinetics of the PE mixtures is evaluated via in situ photo-DSC and photorheology measurements. The PE mixtures cure rapidly and display storage moduli that are orders of magnitude greater than equivalent copolymers cured in an aqueous medium. The versatility of these PE systems is demonstrated through the addition of a photoswitchable spiropyran acrylate monomer, as well as applying the PE formulation as a stereolithography (SLA)-based 3D printing resin. Due to the hydrogen-bonding network in PE systems, 3D printing of the eutectic resin is possible in the absence of crosslinkers. The addition of a RAFT agent to reduce average polymer chain length enables 3D printing of materials which retain their shape and can be dissolved on demand in appropriate solvents.

Composite hydrogels based on deep eutectic solvents and lysine for pressure sensors and adsorption of Fe3

This study explored the preparation of a novel composite hydrogel based on deep eutectic solvent (DES) with lysine (Lys) and its application in pressure sensing and Fe3+ adsorption. DES was synthesized from acrylamide (AM) and urea (U) as hydrogen bond donors (HBD) with choline chloride (ChCl) as hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA), and Lys was used as a functional filler, and Lys/P(AM-U-ChCl) composite hydrogels were successfully prepared by frontal polymerization (FP) method. The structure of the hydrogels was characterized in depth using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of Lys content on the mechanical properties, pH-responsive behavior, pressure-sensitive properties, and Fe3+ adsorption capacity of the hydrogels were further analyzed. It was found that the introduction of Lys significantly improved the compressive and pressure-sensitive properties of the hydrogels. The composite hydrogels exhibited excellent swelling equilibrium rates at different pH values. The capacitance change of the hydrogel with 0.5 wt% Lys at 200 g pressure was 2.12-fold higher than that of the hydrogel without Lys addition, and the adsorption efficiency of the hydrogel for Fe3+ was greatly enhanced. This study provides a new idea for the functionalized design of composite hydrogels and demonstrates their great application prospects in high-performance pressure sensors and heavy metal ion adsorption.

Preparation of High-Performance Barium Titanate Composite Hydrogels by Deep Eutectic Solvent-Assisted Frontal Polymerization

This study aimed to develop composite hydrogels with exceptional piezoelectric properties and pressure sensitivity. To achieve the objective, this study created a deep eutectic solvent (DES) by mixing choline chloride (ChCl), acrylamide (AM), and acrylic acid (AA). Barium titanate nanoparticles (BTNPs) were incorporated as fillers into the deep eutectic solvents (DES) to synthesize the composite hydrogels using frontal polymerization (FP). The mechanical and piezoelectric properties of the resulting composite hydrogels were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study found that the BTNPs/P(AM-co-AA) composite hydrogels exhibited excellent mechanical and piezoelectric properties. This is attributed to the high dielectric constant of BTNPs and the electrode polarization phenomenon when subjected to pressure. With a BTNPs content of 0.6 wt%, the maximum compressive strength increased by 3.68 times compared with the hydrogel without added BTNPs. Moreover, increasing the BTNPs content to 0.6 wt% resulted in a 1.48 times increase in generated voltage under the same pressure, compared with the hydrogel with only 0.2 wt% BTNPs. This study provides a method for preparing composite hydrogels with outstanding piezoelectric properties and pressure sensitivity.

Solid-state, liquid-free ion-conducting elastomers: rising-star platforms for flexible intelligent devices

Soft ionic conductors have emerged as a powerful toolkit to engineer transparent flexible intelligent devices that go beyond their conventional counterparts. Particularly, due to their superior capacities of eliminating the evaporation, freezing and leakage issues of the liquid phase encountered with hydrogels, organohydrogels and ionogels, the emerging solid-state, liquid-free ion-conducting elastomers have been largely recognized as ideal candidates for intelligent flexible devices. However, despite their extensive development, a comprehensive and timely review in this emerging field is lacking, particularly from the perspective of design principles, advanced manufacturing, and distinctive applications. Herein, we present (1) the design principles and intriguing merits of solid-state, liquid-free ion-conducting elastomers; (2) the methods to manufacture solid-state, liquid-free ion-conducting elastomers with preferential architectures and functions using advanced technologies such as 3D printing; (3) how to leverage solid-state, liquid-free ion-conducting elastomers in exploiting advanced applications, especially in the fields of flexible wearable sensors, bioelectronics and energy harvesting; (4) what are the unsolved scientific and technical challenges and future opportunities in this multidisciplinary field. We envision that this review will provide a paradigm shift to trigger insightful thinking and innovation in the development of intelligent flexible devices and beyond.

Quantification of alkalinity of deep eutectic solvents based on (H-) and NMR

Alkaline deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been widely employed across diverse fields. A comprehensive understanding of the alkalinity data is imperative for the comprehension of their performance. However, the current range of techniques for quantifying alkalinity is constrained. In this investigation, we formulated a series of alkaline DESs and assessed their basicity properties through a comprehensive methodology of Hammett functions alongside 1H NMR analysis. A correlation was established between the composition, structure and alkalinity of solvents. Furthermore, a strong linear correlation was observed between the Hammett basicity (H-) of solvents and initial CO2 adsorption rate. Machine learning techniques were employed to predict the significant impact of alkaline functional components on alkalinity levels and CO2 capture capacity. This study offers valuable insights into the design, synthesis and structure-function relationship of alkaline DESs.

Unexpected mechanically robust ionic conductive elastomer constructed from an itaconic acid-involved polymerizable DES

An ionic conductive elastomer with good comprehensive properties is constructed from a ternary polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (PDES) containing choline chloride, acrylic acid and itaconic acid (IA). The IA component is found to boost the synergetic hydrogen bonds and greatly improve the mechanical strength of elastomer.

High-Strength Double-Network Conductive Hydrogels Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and Polymerizable Deep Eutectic Solvent

Conductive hydrogels feature the flexibility of soft materials plus conductive properties providing functionality for effectively sticking to the epidermis and detecting human activity signals. Their stable electrical conductivity also effectively avoids the problem of uneven distribution of solid conductive fillers inside traditional conductive hydrogels. However, the simultaneous integration of high mechanical strength, stretchability, and transparency through a simple and green fabrication method remains a great challenge. Herein, a polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (PDES) composed of choline chloride and acrylic acid was added to a biocompatible PVA matrix. The double-network hydrogels were then simply prepared by thermal polymerization and one freeze-thaw method. The introduction of the PDES significantly improved the tensile properties (1.1 MPa), ionic conductivity (2.1 S/m), and optical transparency (90%) of the PVA hydrogels. When the gel sensor was fixed to human skin, real-time monitoring of a variety of human activities could be implemented with accuracy and durability. Such a simple preparation method performed by combining a deep eutectic solvent with traditional hydrogels offers a new avenue to construct multifunctional conductive hydrogel sensors with excellent performance.

Preparation of SA/P(U-AM-ChCl) composite hydrogels by frontal polymerization and its performance study

Deep eutectic solvent (DES) was synthesized from urea (U), acrylamide (AM) and choline chloride (ChCl), sodium alginate (SA) was selected as filler, and SA/P(U-AM-ChCl) composite hydrogel was prepared by thermal initiation frontal polymerization (FP). The hydrogels were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of SA on the swelling properties, mechanical properties and self-healing properties of the composite hydrogels were investigated. The results show that the swelling properties of the composite hydrogel with the addition of SA are greatly enhanced due to the large number of hydroxyl groups contained in the SA chain. The tensile strength of the hydrogel gradually increased with increasing SA content, with the maximum tensile strength increasing by a factor of 2.89. The self-healing efficiency of the composite hydrogel gradually increased with the increase of SA, and the healing rate of FP5 reached 94.4% after 48 h of healing. This study provides a simple and rapid method for the preparation of composite hydrogels with good mechanical properties and self-healing properties.

Dual-Mode Fiber Strain Sensor Based on Mechanochromic Photonic Crystal and Transparent Conductive Elastomer for Human Motion Detection

As an important component of wearable and stretchable strain sensors, dual-mode strain sensors can respond to deformation via optical/electrical dual-signal changes, which have important applications in human motion monitoring. However, realizing a fiber-shaped dual-mode strain sensor that can work stably in real life remains a challenge. Here, we design an interactive dual-mode fiber strain sensor with both mechanochromic and mechanoelectrical functions that can be applied to a variety of different environments. The dual-mode fiber is produced by coating a transparent elastic conductive layer onto photonic fiber composed of silica particles and elastic rubber. The sensor has visualized dynamic color change, a large strain range (0-80%), and a high sensitivity (1.90). Compared to other dual-mode strain sensors based on the photonic elastomer, our sensor exhibits a significant advantage in strain range. Most importantly, it can achieve reversible and stable optical/electrical dual-signal outputs in response to strain under various environmental conditions. As a wearable portable device, the dual-mode fiber strain sensor can be used for real-time monitoring of human motion, realizing the direct interaction between users and devices, and is expected to be used in fields such as smart wearable, human-machine interactions, and health monitoring.

Frontal Polymerizations: From Chemical Perspectives to Macroscopic Properties and Applications

The synthesis and processing of most thermoplastics and thermoset polymeric materials rely on energy-inefficient and environmentally burdensome manufacturing methods. Frontal polymerization is an attractive, scalable alternative due to its exploitation of polymerization heat that is generally wasted and unutilized. The only external energy needed for frontal polymerization is an initial thermal (or photo) stimulus that locally ignites the reaction. The subsequent reaction exothermicity provides local heating; the transport of this thermal energy to neighboring monomers in either a liquid or gel-like state results in a self-perpetuating reaction zone that provides fully cured thermosets and thermoplastics. Propagation of this polymerization front continues through the unreacted monomer media until either all reactants are consumed or sufficient heat loss stalls further reaction. Several different polymerization mechanisms support frontal processes, including free-radical, cat- or anionic, amine-cure epoxides, and ring-opening metathesis polymerization. The choice of monomer, initiator/catalyst, and additives dictates how fast the polymer front traverses the reactant medium, as well as the maximum temperature achievable. Numerous applications of frontally generated materials exist, ranging from porous substrate reinforcement to fabrication of patterned composites. In this review, we examine in detail the physical and chemical phenomena that govern frontal polymerization, as well as outline the existing applications.

Preparation and properties of CS/P(AM-co-AA) composite hydrogels by frontal polymerization of ternary DES

A deep eutectic solvent (DES) was prepared from choline chloride (ChCl), acrylamide (AM) and acrylic acid (AA); chitosan (CS) was used as a filler, and CS/P(AM-co-AA) composite hydrogels were prepared by frontal polymerization (FP). The hydrogels were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical properties, pH responsiveness and conductivity of the hydrogel were studied. The results showed that the mechanical properties of the hydrogel were significantly improved by adding CS, and the tensile strength and compressive strength were increased by 11.61 and 1.65 times respectively due to the increase in number of hydrogen bonds. At the same time, due to the presence of AA, the composite hydrogel has excellent pH response and super high swelling performance under alkaline conditions. The introduction of CS enhanced the conductivity of the hydrogel and gradually increased with the increase of CS content. The conductivity of the hydrogel with CS content of 10 wt% was nearly 160 times that of the hydrogel without CS. In this study, a more convenient and rapid method was proposed to prepare conductive composite hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties and pH responsiveness.

PVA/ChCl Deep Eutectic Polymer Blends for Transparent Strain Sensors with Antifreeze, Flexible, and Recyclable Properties

Wearable elastic electronic devices have attracted tremendous attention due to their monitoring capabilities for human motion detection. In this work, a hydrogen bond acceptor quaternary ammonium salt, choline chloride (ChCl), has been used to fabricate deep eutectic polymer (DEP) blends with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The miscibility, molecular interaction, and physical properties of PVA/ChCl DEP blends were investigated systematically. It is demonstrated that the deep eutectic of PVA/ChCl can be obtained by simple solution blending, and the melting points of both PVA and ChCl are reduced respectively due to the strong hydrogen bond between PVA and ChCl. Due to the elasticity of the PVA/ChCl elastomer and the response of ChCl ions to temperature and humidity, the fabricated sensor showed stable and repeatable resistance changes upon strain, temperature, and humidity variations. We hypothesize that the DEP blend system has potential applications in functional composites and the final PVA/ChCl elastomer composites exhibited high transparent, antifreeze, and recyclable capability, which may be promising for applications in soft/flexible devices.

Studying the Formation of Choline Chloride- and Glucose-Based Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent at the Molecular Level

The liquid waste is the major source of waste, which usually generated from academic laboratories and industry during the extraction, separation, chemical synthesis, and pretreatment processes. These chemical and engineering processes require more solvents. In this regard, there is a need to develop more environmentally friendly, cheaper, non-toxic solvents that are harmless to humans and the environment. In this regard, deep eutectic solvents (DES) and their derivatives so-called natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) are a new field in the search for green alternative solvents. In our work, the formation of choline chloride-based NADESs using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and classical all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was studied in detail using Gaussian09 and Gromacs software's. Next, the ground state geometry optimizations were performed in the gas phase using DFT B3LYP 6-31 + G(d) level of theory. Moreover, classical all-atom MD simulations were implemented using Gromos force field. After the modeling and simulations, the DFT calculation results revealed the formation of NADESs via formation (creation) of binding between chlorine and choline, and chlorine and glucose. At the same time, the results of classical all-atom MD simulations, based on the time average of the equilibrated production run of MD simulations, stated that the nitrogen atom of choline ion and chloride ion has greater interactions, while chloride ion has also greater interaction with glucose during formation of NADES. The outcomes of both DFT and classical all-atom MD simulations are in good agreements.

Rapid preparation of N-CNTs/P(AA-co-AM) composite hydrogel via frontal polymerization and its mechanical and conductive properties

Deep eutectic solvent (DES) was prepared by using acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AM) as hydrogen bonding donors (HBD) and choline chloride (ChCl) as hydrogen bonding receptors (HBA). Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) were dispersed in DES as fillers, and N-CNTs/P(AA-co-AM) composite hydrogels were prepared by FP. The interaction mode between the hydrogel and N-CNTs was characterized by Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical properties, pH response and electrical conductivity of the composite hydrogels were studied. The results showed that the mechanical properties of the hydrogel were significantly enhanced with the increase of N-CNT content. The tensile strength and compressive strength of the FP4 composite hydrogel reached 5.42 MPa and 4.29 MPa, respectively. Due to the dissociation of carboxyl groups in AA in an alkaline environment the composite hydrogel showed excellent pH response performance. The conductivity of the hydrogel was also found to be improved with the content of N-CNTs. When the content of N-CNTs is 1.0 wt%, the conductivity of the hydrogel was 4.2 times higher than that of the hydrogel without N-CNTs, and connecting it to a circuit can make an LED lamp emit bright light. In this study, a simple and green method was proposed to prepare composite hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties and electrical conductivity by FP of DES in less than 5 min.

This study provides a rapid and low-energy method for the preparation of nanocomposite hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties and electrical conductivity.

Recent Developments on Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents for Drug Delivery Applications

The field of Ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) is continuously expanding due to their exceptional unique properties and highly tunable nature, which finds applications in broad areas of modern science. Considering numerous possible IL and DES combinations prepared with active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), they find applications in pharmaceutical sciences. They can also serve as potential components of drug formulations and hence they have drawn the attention of formulation scientists. Herein, the concept of pharmaceutical ILs and DESs are discussed briefly. The possible applications of these solvent systems for slow drug delivery including nanoscale drug delivery are discussed citing various examples from the published literature. Although the ILs and DESs are found to be suitable for various drug delivery applications but still none of the slow drug delivery vehicles based on these solvents is in practical use. The data relating to long-term toxicity upon administration in the human body followed by various safety evaluations, clinical trials, etc. are pending for such new drug delivery systems. However, proof of concept studies done on the retention of biological activities in the ionic form is quite encouraging and such studies indicate the possibility of application of such new systems in the development of biomedical research and related industries in near future.

Rapid preparation of ZnO nanocomposite hydrogels by frontal polymerization of a ternary DES and performance study

A deep eutectic solvent (DES) was synthesized from urea (U), acrylamide (AM), and choline chloride (ChCl). ZnO was dispersed in the DES as a filler, and nanocomposite hydrogels (ZnO/P(U-AM-ChCl)) were successfully prepared by frontal polymerization (FP). The hydrogels were verified by Fourier infrared spectroscopy to contain ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). The swelling behaviour, conductivity, and antibacterial properties of the ZnO nanocomposite hydrogels were investigated. The results showed that the ZnO/P(U-AM-ChCl) hydrogels had excellent antibacterial properties and exhibited super high inhibition rates of 81.87% and 88.42% against two basic colonies of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively. The equilibrium swelling of the hydrogels was found to increase significantly from 9.30 to 12.29 with the addition of ZnO, while the ZnO/P(U-AM-ChCl) hydrogel conductivity exhibited good UV sensitivity. This study provides a rapid and low-energy method for the preparation of nanocomposite hydrogels with excellent antibacterial properties.

Improving the Identification of Lysine-Acetylated Peptides Using a Molecularly Imprinted Monolith Prepared by a Deep Eutectic Solvent Monomer

To overcome the identification challenge of low-abundance lysine acetylation (Kac), a novel approach based on a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was developed to improve the extraction capacity of Kac peptides in real samples. Green deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were introduced and used as one of the synergistic functional monomers with zinc acrylate (ZnA). Glycine-glycine-alanine-lysine(ac)-arginine (GGAKacR) was chosen as a template and N,N'-methylenbisacrylamide (MBAA) was used as a cross-linker. The obtained GGAKacR-MIP had excellent selectivity for the template with an imprinting factor (IF) of up to 21.4. The histone digest addition experiment demonstrated that GGAKacR-MIP could successfully extract GGAKacR from a complex sample. Finally, the application to the extraction of Kac peptides from mouse liver protein digestion was studied in detail. The number of Kac peptides and Kac proteins identified was 130 and 110, which were 3.71-fold and 3.93-fold higher than those of the untreated sample. In addition, the number of peptides and proteins identified after treatment increased from 5535 and 1092 to 17 149 and 4037 (3.10-fold and 3.70-fold, respectively). The results showed that the obtained MIP may provide an effective technical tool for the identification of Kac-modification and peptide fractionation, as well as a potential approach for simultaneously identifying post-translational-modified proteomic and proteomic information.

Acidity Scales of Deep Eutectic Solvents based on IR and NMR

Acidic deep eutectic solvents (ADESs) have been utilized in various applications. Clearly, it is crucial to obtain acidity information that could reveal the relationship with performance. However, appropriate methods of...

Starch as a reinforcement agent for poly(ionic liquid) hydrogels from deep eutectic solvent via frontal polymerization

For the first time, conductive starch/poly(ionic liquid) hydrogels from a polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (DES) by frontal polymerization (FP) were reported. The solubility and dispersibility for starch granules in the polymerizable DES was investigated. The effects of starch content on FP behaviors, mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of composite hydrogels were studied. Results showed that starch could be partially dissolved and dispersed in the DES. Comparing with the pure poly(ionic liquid) hydrogel from DES (the tensile strength was 41 K Pa), the tensile strength of composite hydrogel could increased by 3.07 times and reached 126 K Pa. When the fixed strain was 80 %, its compressive strength could increase by 6 times and reaches 16.8 MPa. The main reason was that there was a strong interfacial interaction between starch and the polymer hydrogel network. The starch/poly(ionic liquid) composite hydrogels also had good electrical conductivity. Absorption of water could increase the conductivity of the composite hydrogel significantly.

Greener, Faster, Stronger: The Benefits of Deep Eutectic Solvents in Polymer and Materials Science

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) represent an emergent class of green designer solvents that find numerous applications in different aspects of chemical synthesis. A particularly appealing aspect of DES systems is their simplicity of preparation, combined with inexpensive, readily available starting materials to yield solvents with appealing properties (negligible volatility, non-flammability and high solvation capacity). In the context of polymer science, DES systems not only offer an appealing route towards replacing hazardous volatile organic solvents (VOCs), but can serve multiple roles including those of solvent, monomer and templating agent-so called "polymerizable eutectics." In this review, we look at DES systems and polymerizable eutectics and their application in polymer materials synthesis, including various mechanisms of polymer formation, hydrogel design, porous monoliths, and molecularly imprinted polymers. We provide a comparative study of these systems alongside traditional synthetic approaches, highlighting not only the benefit of replacing VOCs from the perspective of environmental sustainability, but also the materials advantage with respect to mechanical and thermal properties of the polymers formed.

Preparation of thermoresponsive hydrogels via polymerizable deep eutectic monomer solvents

We report the preparation of thermoresponsive hydrogels via free-radical polymerization and crosslinking of NIPAM based deep eutectic monomer solvents (DEMs).

Deep Eutectic Solvents: A Review of Fundamentals and Applications

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are an emerging class of mixtures characterized by significant depressions in melting points compared to those of the neat constituent components. These materials are promising for applications as inexpensive "designer" solvents exhibiting a host of tunable physicochemical properties. A detailed review of the current literature reveals the lack of predictive understanding of the microscopic mechanisms that govern the structure-property relationships in this class of solvents. Complex hydrogen bonding is postulated as the root cause of their melting point depressions and physicochemical properties; to understand these hydrogen bonded networks, it is imperative to study these systems as dynamic entities using both simulations and experiments. This review emphasizes recent research efforts in order to elucidate the next steps needed to develop a fundamental framework needed for a deeper understanding of DESs. It covers recent developments in DES research, frames outstanding scientific questions, and identifies promising research thrusts aligned with the advancement of the field toward predictive models and fundamental understanding of these solvents.

Liquid Structure of Single and Mixed Cation Alkylammonium Bromide Urea Deep Eutectic Solvents

The liquid structures of three alkyl ammonium bromide and urea DESs, ethylammonium bromide:urea (1:1), butylammonium bromide:urea (1:1), and ethylammonium bromide/butylammonium bromide:urea (0.5:0.5:1), have been studied using small-angle neutron diffraction with H/D substituted sample contrasts. The diffraction data was fit using empirical potential structure refinement (EPSR). An amphiphilic nanostructure was found in all DESs due to cation alkyl chains being solvophobically excluded from charged domains, and due to clustering together. The polar domain was continuous in all three DESs, whereas the apolar domain was continuous for the butylammonium DES and in the mixed DES, but not the ethylammonium DES. This is attributed to solvophobic interactions being weaker for the short ethyl chain. Surprisingly, the urea also forms large clusters in all three DESs. In ethylammonium bromide:urea (1:1), urea-urea orientations are mainly perpendicular, but in butylammonium bromide:urea (1:1) and the mixed system in-plane and perpendicular arrangements are found. The liquid nanostructures found in this work, especially for the ethylammonium DES, are different from those found previously for the corresponding DESs formed using glycerol, revealing that the DES amphiphilic nanostructure is sensitive to the nature of the HBD (hydrogen bond donor).

Rapid preparation of highly transparent piezoresistive balls for optoelectronic devices

Highly transparent piezoresistive balls are rapidly prepared for optoelectronic devices by photopolymerization of polymerizable deep eutectic solvents.

Carbon and carbon composites obtained using deep eutectic solvents and aqueous dilutions thereof

Extending the “all-in-one” features of DESs to DES/H₂O binary mixtures.

Polymer Science and Engineering Using Deep Eutectic Solvents

The green and versatile character of deep eutectic solvents (DES) has turned them into significant tools in the development of green and sustainable technologies. For this purpose, their use in polymeric applications has been growing and expanding to new areas of development. The present review aims to summarize the progress in the field of DES applied to polymer science and engineering. It comprises fundamentals studies involving DES and polymers, recent applications of DES in polymer synthesis, extraction and modification, and the early developments on the formulation of DES–polymer products. The combination of DES and polymers is highly promising in the development of new and ‘greener’ materials. Still, there is plenty of room for future research in this field.

Green polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (PDES) type conductive paper for origami 3D circuits

We report a green fabrication of conductive paper based on polymerizable deep eutectic solvents and its flexibility to origami electronics.