Phase separation is a central concept of materials physics^1,2,3 and has recently emerged as an important route to compartmentalization within living cells^4,5,6. Biological phase separation features activity⁷, complex compositions⁸ and elasticity⁹, which reveal important gaps in our understanding of this universal physical phenomenon. Here, we explore the impact of elasticity on phase separation in synthetic polymer networks. We show that compressive stresses in a polymer network can suppress phase separation of the solvent that swells it, stabilizing mixtures well beyond the liquid–liquid phase-separation boundary. Network stresses also drive a new form of ripening, driven by transport of solute down stiffness gradients. This elastic ripening can be much faster than conventional Ostwald ripening driven by surface tension.

相分离是材料物理学的核心概念^1,2,3 ，最近已成为活细胞内分隔的重要途径^4,5,6 。生物相分离的特征是活性⁷ 、复杂成分⁸和弹性⁹ ，这揭示了我们对这种普遍物理现象的理解中的重要差距。在这里，我们探讨弹性对合成聚合物网络中相分离的影响。我们表明，聚合物网络中的压应力可以抑制使其膨胀的溶剂的相分离，从而使混合物稳定在液-液相分离边界之外。网络应力还推动了一种新的成熟形式，由溶质沿刚度梯度的传输驱动。这种弹性熟化比由表面张力驱动的传统奥斯特瓦尔德熟化快得多。