Ionic aggregates induced room temperature autonomous self-healing elastic tape for reducing ankle sprain.

Traditional kinesiology tape (KT) is an elastic fabric tape that clinicians and sports trainers widely use for managing ankle sprains. However, inadequate mechanical properties, adhesive strength, water resistance, and micro-damage generation could affect the longevity of the tape on the skin during physical activity and sweating. Therefore, autonomous room-temperature self-healing elastomers with robust mechanical properties and adequate adhesion to the skin are highly desirable to replace traditional KT.

Mechanistic insight into the self-coupling of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural to C fuel intermediate catalyzed by ionic liquids.

DFT calculations have been carried out to obtain insight into the self-coupling of biomass-based 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) to C fuel intermediate 5,5'-dihydroxymethyl furoin (DHMF) catalyzed by ionic liquids (ILs). It was found that acetate-based IL or thiazolium IL in combination with the additive EtN show high catalytic performance, wherein N-heterocyclic carbons (NHCs) derived from the cations of ILs act as the nucleophiles and the protonated acetate anion or the [EtNH] acts as the proton shuttle. The effectiveness of this catalysis is attributed to the proton-shared three-center-four-electron (3c-4e) bonds between HMF and HOAc or [EtNH], which stabilize the transition states and the intermediates.