Oligomeric-solvent engineering of hierarchical hydrogen-bonding networks for multifunctional glass interlayers

Abstract

Abstract The properties of polymer gels are governed not only by the crosslinked network but also by the solvent. Conventional small-molecule solvents impose trade-offs among environmental adaptability, cost, and biocompatibility. Here, we employ oligomeric polyethylene glycol as a multifunctional solvent for poly (methacrylic acid) (PMAA), converting the otherwise plastic PMAA network into a transparent, dissipative gel. The oligomeric solvent promotes a hierarchical hydrogen-bonding architecture with broadly distributed strengths, coupling elasticity and viscosity, stabilizing the network, and enabling high energy dissipation for acoustic damping and impact resistance. Meanwhile, thermally reversible hydrogen-bond dissociation provides broad endothermic heat absorption, affording thermal buffering. The gels further exhibit high transparency, robust adhesion, and self-healing. Harnessing the gel as an interlayer, we fabricate laminated glass that integrates light transmission, thermal regulation, sound attenuation, and mechanical protection. This oligomer-solvent strategy offers a practical route to multifunctional, energy-efficient, safer building glazing applications in real-world architecture settings.