Aromatic Disulfide Cross-Linkers for Self-Healable and Recyclable Acrylic Polymer Networks

Abstract

Sustainable and recyclable materials offer alternatives to potentially hazardous and nonrenewable resources and plastics. To improve the mechanical robustness of thermoplastics and elastomers, cross-linking is needed to form covalent links between polymer chains, which turn into nonrecyclable thermoset plastics. This study introduces a novel approach to address the contradictory characteristics of traditional thermoset plastics by synthesizing dynamic aromatic disulfide cross-linkers combined with various (meth)acrylate monomers. The resulting elastomers with a dynamic covalent polymer network exhibit transparency, recyclability, reprocessability, and autonomous self-healing at room temperature without external stimuli. Through molecular design, the self-healing efficiency and mechanical properties of the elastomers can be finely modulated, making them suitable for diverse applications. Incorporating a small proportion of aromatic disulfide cross-linkers into commercially available acrylic building blocks demonstrates a significant impact on the development of self-healable, recyclable, and reprocessable materials without compromising their bulk properties. The research contributes to advancing sustainable materials science and promoting the accessibility and adoption of eco-conscious solutions.