Dartmouth College

Chenfeng Ke

Qianming Lin

Longyu Li

Miao Tang

Pengfei Zhang

Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to a composition that includes a rotaxane. The rotaxane includes a plurality of macrocyclic rings and a polymer with a molecular weight below 10,000 Da that is covalently appended to one or more sterically hindered molecules. The cavities of the macrocyclic rings are threaded onto the polymer. The plurality of threaded macrocyclic rings include a plurality of different segments that each include a plurality of threaded macrocyclic rings. Each of the plurality of different segments is in the form of a crystalline network. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of forming the rotaxanes by covalently appending one or more sterically hindered molecules onto a polymer and threading a plurality of macrocyclic rings onto the polymer. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of manufacturing a three-dimensional structure by applying a composition of the present disclosure onto a surface.

Cyclodextrin-based polyrotaxanes and protein hybrids as three-dimensional printing inks

Provided are supramolecular polypseudorotaxane hydrogel compositions and 3-D structures capable of reversible 3-D structural deformation which include (a) a solvent; (b) an at least partially linear polymer, where the polymer further comprises groups capable of covalent crosslinking between the polymers; (ii) at least one first macrocyclic ring which forms a pseudorotaxane with a polymer in the polymer network; and (iii) at least one second macrocyclic ring that does not form the pseudorotaxane. The hydrogel composition has a viscosity which allows for 3-D printing of the hydrogel to form a 3-D structure, and a storage (elastic) modulus after crosslinking that allows for the 3-D structure to undergo reversible 3-D structural deformation upon change of solvent conditions. Also provided are methods of manufacturing the compositions and 3-D structures.

Mechanically interlocked molecules-based materials for 3-D printing

The invention provides a supramolecular polymer composition capable of co-assembly to maintain a three dimensional (3-D) macrostructural form after 3-D printing, made of a solvent, a template molecule; and a reactive component. The reactive component can be at least one monomer that is capable of hydrogen bonding with the template molecule to form a 1D supramolecular structure. The template may be an amphiphilic polymer. The monomer has at least two pendant groups capable of covalent crosslinking. The invention also includes a 3-D structure formed by crosslinking a 3-D printed supramolecular polymer composition, which optionally has a mesoporous structure. Also included is a method of manufacturing a 3-D structure by delivering a supramolecular polymer composition onto a surface of a substrate to form the 3-D structure.

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Lebanon, NH, United States of America

Chenfeng Ke