Network design for soft materials: addressing elasticity and fracture resistance challenges.

Soft materials, such as elastomers and gels, feature crosslinked polymer chains that provide stretchable and elastic mechanical properties. These properties are derived from entropic elasticity, which limits energy dissipation and makes the material susceptible to fracture. To address this issue, network designs that dissipate energy through the plastic zone have been introduced to enhance toughness; however, this approach compromises elasticity, preventing the material from fully recovering its original shape after deformation.