The Final Frontier of Sustainable Materials: Current Developments in Self-Healing Elastomers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Sustainable Engineering

Background:

• Polymers are essential but often linked to environmental pollution, particularly plastics.
• Rubbers, with their crosslinked networks, pose reprocessing challenges due to their elasticity.
• Poor waste management of polymeric materials has created a significant environmental crisis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the development of self-healing capacity in rubbers as a solution to reprocessing limitations.
• To highlight the role of self-healing elastomers in achieving material longevity and circular economy compatibility.
• To summarize advancements in self-healable rubbery materials over the past decade.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent scientific literature on self-healing elastomers.
• Analysis of strategies for conferring self-healing properties to crosslinked polymer networks.
• Evaluation of healing efficiency and mechanical performance metrics for self-healable rubbers.

Main Results:

• Self-healing capacity enables rubbers to autonomously or stimulus-induced repair damage.
• Development of self-healable elastomers with high healing efficiency and excellent mechanical properties.
• Spain has emerged as a leader in the advancement of self-healing rubber technology.

Conclusions:

• Self-healing is a key property for creating truly sustainable rubbery materials.
• This technology enhances material lifespan and supports the principles of the circular economy.
• Continued research in self-healing elastomers is vital for addressing environmental concerns associated with polymers.