When a polyacrylate is crosslinked by weak, strong, or intermediate strength cross-linkers, the Craig, Johnson, and Rubinstein labs find that the weakest cross-linker leads to the strongest network, and vice versa. The effect is large enough (factor of 9-10 in toughness) to be important, and some systematic studies uncover a physical picture at the heart of the phenomenon, in a way that others can actually transfer the insights in the design of other material classes.
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