Fully recyclable and tough thermoplastic elastomers from simple bio-sourced δ-valerolactones

Kai Ma, Hai-Yan An, Jiyun Nam, Liam T. Reilly, Yi-Lin Zhang, Eugene Y.-X. Chen and Tie-Qi Xu ()
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Kai Ma: Dalian University of Technology
Hai-Yan An: Dalian University of Technology
Jiyun Nam: Colorado State University
Liam T. Reilly: Colorado State University
Yi-Lin Zhang: Dalian University of Technology
Eugene Y.-X. Chen: Colorado State University
Tie-Qi Xu: Dalian University of Technology

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract While a large number of chemically recyclable thermoplastics have been developed in recent years, technologically important thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) that are not only bio-based and fully recyclable but also exhibit mechanical properties that can rival or even exceed those petroleum-based, non-recyclable polyolefin TPEs are critically lacking. The key challenge in developing chemically circular, bio-based, high-performance TPEs rests on the complexity of TPE’s block copolymer (BCP) structure involving block segments of different suitable monomers required to induce self-assembled morphologies responsible for performance as well as the control and monomer compatibility in their synthesis and the selectivity in their depolymerization. Here we demonstrate the utilization of bio-sourced δ-valerolactone (δVL) and its simple α-alkyl-substituted derivatives to produce all δVL-based polyester tri-BCP TPEs, which exhibit not only complete (closed-loop) chemical recyclability but also excellent toughness that is 2.5–3.8 times higher than commercial polyolefin-based TPEs. The visualized cylindrical morphology formed via crystallization-driven self-assembly in the new all δVL tri-BCP is postulated to contribute to the excellent TPE property.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52229-1

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