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Multifunctional 3D-Printable Photocurable Elastomer with Self-Healing Capability Derived from Waste Cooking Oil.
Pengyu Wang1, Jiahui Sun2, Mengyu Liu1
1College of Materials Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 7, 2025
Summary
This study converts waste cooking oil into a 3D-printable elastomer with self-healing and shape memory properties. This sustainable material offers potential for advanced applications in flexible electronics and robotics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Sustainable Chemistry
Background:
- Developing sustainable materials from waste streams is crucial for environmental protection.
- Smart elastomers with self-healing and reprocessability are highly sought after for advanced applications.
- Waste cooking oil (WCO) represents an abundant, low-cost, and renewable resource for chemical synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize a novel photocurable elastomer from waste cooking oil (WCO).
- To integrate multifunctional properties including self-healing, weldability, reprocessability, adhesion, and shape memory.
- To explore the potential of this WCO-derived elastomer for 3D printing applications.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a WCO-based methacrylate fatty acid ethyl ester (WMFAEE) monomer via transesterification, epoxidation, and ring-opening esterification.
- Copolymerization of WMFAEE with hydroxypropyl acrylate (HPA) to create the photocurable elastomer.
- Characterization of mechanical properties, self-healing, weldability, reprocessability, adhesion, shape memory, and biodegradability.
- Molecular simulations to elucidate the self-healing mechanism.
Main Results:
- The developed WMFAEE-HPA elastomer exhibits excellent flexibility (645.09% elongation at break) and autonomous room-temperature self-healing (57.82% elongation recovery).
- The material demonstrates good weldability (19.97% elongation retention), reprocessability (7.75% elongation retention), pressure-sensitive adhesion (70.06 J/m²), and thermally triggered shape memory.
- Significant biodegradability (13.25% mass loss after 45 days) and a dual self-healing mechanism involving chain diffusion and hydrogen bonding were observed.
Conclusions:
- A sustainable, multifunctional, 3D-printable photocurable elastomer was successfully developed from waste cooking oil.
- The integrated properties, including self-healing and shape memory, highlight its potential for advanced applications.
- This work establishes a pathway for converting biowastes into high-performance smart materials via precision molecular engineering.
