Articles and methods related to labile crosslinking moieties

Abstract

Articles and methods related to the manufacture of polymers containing labile crosslinking moieties are generally described.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing a structurally self-supporting material comprising a polymeric material crosslinked by a plurality of crosslinking moieties;   exposing at least a portion of the structurally self-supporting material to H 2 O, thereby reacting at least a portion of the crosslinking moieties and converting at least a portion of the structurally self-supporting material to a non-structurally self-supporting material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the structurally self-supporting material comprises providing the structurally self-supporting material on a substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing the structurally self-supporting material comprises three-dimensional (3D) printing the structurally self-supporting material on the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of crosslinking moieties at least partially render the material structurally self-supporting. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the crosslinking moieties comprise an acrylate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each of the crosslinking moieties comprise a methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, propyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and/or derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the crosslinking moieties comprises a silyl-ether. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein reacting at least a portion of the crosslinking moieties comprises hydrolyzing at least a portion of the crosslinking moieties. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structurally self-supporting material has a Young's modulus between greater than or equal to 1 GPa and less than or equal to 5 GPa. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-structurally self-supporting material has a Young's modulus between less than or equal to 1 GPa and greater than or equal to 0.01 GPa. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein exposing at least a portion of the structurally self-supporting material to H 2 O comprises at least partially submerging the structurally self-supporting material in water. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein exposing at least a portion of the structurally self-supporting material to H 2 O comprises exposing the structurally self-supporting material to moisture. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein exposing at least a portion of the structurally self-supporting material to H 2 O comprises exposing at least a portion of the structurally self-supporting material to H 2 O for an amount of time greater than or equal to 0.5 hours and less than or equal to 72 hours. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the amount of time is inversely proportional to the Young's modulus of the non-structurally self-supporting material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein exposing at least a portion of the structurally self-supporting material to H 2 O comprises exposing at least a portion of the structurally self-supporting material to H 2 O at a temperature greater than or equal to 25° C. and less than or equal to 150° C. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the temperature is inversely proportional to the Young's modulus of the non-structurally self-supporting material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structurally self-supporting material comprises a silyl-ether diacrylate polymer of the structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein:
 R 1  and R 1 ′ are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of —H, —CH 3 , C 1-10  alkyl, heteroalkyl, alkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkynyl, acyl, carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, hydroxyl, thiol, amino, carbonyl, and combinations thereof; 
 R 2  and R 2 ′ are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of C 1-10  alkyl, heteroalkyl, alkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkynyl acyl, carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof; 
 R 3  and R 3 ′ are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of —H, —CH 3 , C 1-10  alkyl, heteroalkyl, alkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalkynyl, acyl, carbocyclyl, heterocyclyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, hydroxyl, thiol, amino, carbonyl, and combinations thereof; and 
 n is greater than or equal to 2. 
 
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled)