A supramolecular polymer based on tweezer-type p-p stacking interactions: molecular design for healability and enhanced toughness

A supramolecular elastomer comprising a blend of a pyrenyl-tweezer-ended polyamide intercalating with a chain-folding polyimide shows near-quantitative thermal healability. It also exhibits greatly enhanced toughness relative to an analogous system in which the polyamide end-groups are simple pyrenyl residues, reflecting the increased association constant between the two complementary binding motifs.