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Abstract

The present invention relates to supramolecular polymers containing sequence-selective hydrogen bonding subunits in their backbone which form double helices. The invention allows for tuning of the numbers and sequences of donor/acceptor units incorporated in any one crosslinking hydrogen bonding subunit and hence tuning of the interaction strength not only through the amount of crosslinking material incorporated but also through modulation of the strength of the crosslinking interactions. It also allows for the incorporation of more than one type of crosslinking agent in the material allowing for multiple strengths of crosslinking which are each tunable with regard to disruption from solvent, temperature and stress. Hydrogen bond strength between oligomeric chains can be tailored through modification of the numbers and sequences of the donors/acceptors in the oligomers. The oligomers are sequence-specific and will generally only hydrogen-bond to oligomeric chains which are composed of a complementary set of donors/acceptors. The hydrogen bonded motif formed by the interacting oligomers is helical, imparting both chirality and intertwined topology to these interaction points. Because the polymer end units react with their complements through hydrogen bonding, the telechelic polymer(s) incorporating this technology are reversibly able to be processed as the bonds are first broken and then reformed. This has applications in a number of fields such as inkjet inks, adhesives, printing plates and microphase patterning of polymer surfaces.

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First Claim