3D-Printing of Ultratough and Healable Elastomers

Although 3D-printing has offered a promising solution for the freeform fabrication of complex, arbitrary structures, developing elastomeric materials that simultaneously possess mechanical robustness and self-healing functionality remains a significant challenge. To address this, a 3D-printable elastomer is reported by the strategic incorporation of hierarchical hydrogen bonding (acylsemicarbazide and carbamate) into the photoactive resin, thereby overcoming the traditional trade-off between mechanical strength and dynamic functionality. The resulting elastomer exhibits ultra-toughness (158.5 MJ m^-3), with tensile strength and breaking strain of 49.6 MPa and 1136%, respectively. In addition, the acylsemicarbazide moieties endow the 3D-printed elastomers with unique dynamic characteristics, including self-healing capabilities and shape reconfigurability, thus significantly enhancing the design flexibility and versatility of complex structures.