Lipoic acid-based vitrimer-like elastomer

Dynamic covalent networks (DCNs) are materials that feature reversible bond formation and breaking, allowing for self-healing and recyclability. To speed up the bond exchange, significant amounts of catalyst are used, which creates safety concerns. To tackle this issue, we report the synthesis of a...

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Published inPolymer chemistry Vol. 14; no. 44; pp. 514 - 52
Main Authors Lan, Xiaohong, Boetje, Laura, Pelras, Théophile, Ye, Chongnan, Silvianti, Fitrilia, Loos, Katja
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 14.11.2023
The Royal Society of Chemistry
Subjects
Chemistry
Crosslinking
Elastic properties
Elastomers
Lactones
Lipoic acid
Melt temperature
Recyclability
Ring opening polymerization
Room temperature
Shelf life
Stretchability
Vitrimers
Wearable technology
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Summary:Dynamic covalent networks (DCNs) are materials that feature reversible bond formation and breaking, allowing for self-healing and recyclability. To speed up the bond exchange, significant amounts of catalyst are used, which creates safety concerns. To tackle this issue, we report the synthesis of a lipoic acid-based vitrimer-like elastomer (LAVE) by combining (i) ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactones, (ii) lipoic acid modification of polylactones, and (iii) UV crosslinking. The melting temperature ( T m ) of LAVE is below room temperature, which ensures the elastic properties of LAVE at service temperature. By carefully altering the network, it is possible to tune the T m , as well as the mechanical strength and stretchability of the material. An increase in polylactone chain length in LAVE was found to increase strain at break from 25% to 180% and stress at break from 0.34 to 1.41 MPa. The material showed excellent network stability under cyclic strain loading, with no apparent hysteresis. The introduction of disulfide bonds allows the material to self-heal under UV exposure, extending its shelf life. Overall, this work presents an environmentally friendly approach for producing a sustainable elastomer that has potential for use in applications such as intelligent robots, smart wearable technology, and human-machine interfaces. The synthesis of a lipoic acid-based vitrimer-like elastomer (LAVE).
Bibliography:Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/d3py00883e
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ISSN:1759-9954
1759-9962
DOI:10.1039/d3py00883e