Self-supporting polymer from a POSS derivative

Abstract

A new polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane macromer, octakis[N-(6-aminopyridin-2-yl)undecanamide-10-dimethyl-siloxy]silsesquioxane (POSS-C11-Py), containing eight diaminopyridine arms, is able to self-assemble to form a physically crosslinked polymer-like structure with good mechanical properties (tensile strength = 46.1 MPa, tensile modulus = 0.58 GPa, elongation = 49.3%) through quadruple hydrogen bonding interactions between these arms. POSS-C11-Py is the first organic/inorganic supermolecule possessing polymer-like mechanical properties as a result of self-complementary interactions, providing a potential route toward the design and fabrication of polymer-like supramolecular materials.