Phys.org  June 19, 2024 By swelling with solvent, glassy polymers can become gels that are soft and weak yet have enhanced extensibility. The marked changes in properties arise from the solvent increasing free volume between chains while weakening polymer–polymer interactions. A team of researchers in the US (North Carolina State University, University of Nebraska) developed a unique class of materials called glassy gels with desirable properties of both glasses and gels by solvating polar polymers with ionic liquids at appropriate concentrations. The ionic liquid increases free volume and extensibility despite the absence of conventional solvent. It forms strong and abundant […]