Researchers have developed a polymer composite that combines vibration damping with reliable strain sensing. The material uses a thermoplastic polyurethane matrix containing UPy (2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone) units, which form reversible quadruple hydrogen bonds. These molecular links can break and re-form.
This property allows the material to dissipate mechanical energy while retaining its self-healing capacity. By adding two filler materials, a modified silica and and functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes, they were able to create a stable conductive network. Details are discussed in the International Journal of Materials and Product Technology.
The team explains how their work has overcome the challenge of damping that relies on molecular movement, while piezoresistive sensing requires a stable network through which electrical resistance changes predictably under strain. The team's tests showed that even after 10000 cycles at 50 per cent strain, the composite retained almost 92 per cent of its response.
Within the study, the researchers have also developed a model to predict how filler connectivity and molecular bonding affect the mechanical and electrical properties of the composite. That additional work will help in the development of materials designed to suppress vibration while monitoring structural deformation in demanding engineering and high-tech structural applications.
Wang, X., Yang, X., Li, Y., Lu, X., Chen, S. and Geng, Z. (2026) ‘Preparation and performance of supramolecular polymer-based piezoresistive damping composites’, Int. J. Materials and Product Technology, Vol. 70, No. 6, pp.123–145.
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