journal article·2025-12Open access

Dynamic Network Reconfiguration Toward Mechanically Robust Polymeric Foam via Ice Templating

Chenyue Xu, Xingqun Pu, Runzhi Lu, Yongbo Jiang, Qian Zhao, Zizheng Fang, Tao Xie

Small Structures· Volume 6· Issue 12

Abstract

Polymeric foams have garnered significant interest in advanced engineering applications due to their unique porous architectures. Ice templating represents a promising strategy for creating polymeric foams with tunable pore morphology, yet faces practical constraints including reliance on energy‐intensive lyophilization and/or insufficient mechanical properties of the resulting foams. To address this challenge, a strategy is developed to prepare mechanically robust polymeric foams by photo‐crosslinking ice‐templated emulsions. By incorporating dynamic hindered urea bonds into the emulsion, dynamic network reconfiguration is achieved, which dramatically improves mechanical properties. The resultant foam (≈65% porosity) exhibits tensile strength and breaking strains of 7.9 MPa and 533%, with toughness of 15.8 MJ m −3 . In addition, this strategy permits the construction of intricate 3D architectures using 3D‐printed sacrificial thermoplastic templates, expanding their potential applications in demanding engineering scenarios.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Polymer composites and self-healing · Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Surface Modification and Superhydrophobicity

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Low‐carbon Technology College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 P. R. China

Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing for Functional Chemicals ZJU‐Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center Zhejiang University Hangzhou 311215 P. R. China

Institute of Fundamental and Transdisciplinary Research Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310058 China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China

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