Tailoring Supramolecular Polyurethane Featuring Bio-based Rigid-Flexible Segment Hybrids with Intrinsic Photothermal...

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Materials Science
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Multifunctional polyurethanes typically face a design trade-off between mechanical robustness and properties like self-healing and recyclability due to restricted chain mobility.
• This compromise limits their widespread application in advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a novel supramolecular polyurethane (COPUSL) that integrates enhanced mechanical properties with self-healing, recyclability, UV-blocking, and photothermal conversion capabilities.
• To elucidate the structure-property relationships governing the dynamic behavior and performance of the designed polyurethane.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a supramolecular polyurethane (COPUSL) incorporating a "dynamic switch" (disulfide and hydrogen bonds) and a "rigid-flexible balanced network" (castor oil and lignin).
• Characterization of mechanical properties, self-healing efficiency, recyclability, UV-blocking efficiency, and photothermal conversion.
• Investigation of relaxation kinetics and dynamic behavior to understand polymer architecture regulation.

Main Results:

• COPUSL exhibits excellent mechanical properties, 87% self-healing efficiency, and efficient recyclability.
• The material demonstrates 100% UV-blocking efficiency and a high photothermal conversion capability (surface temperature up to 153 °C).
• Systematic investigation revealed the distinct roles of the "dynamic switch" and "rigid-flexible balanced network" in performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed COPUSL successfully overcomes the inherent limitations of traditional polyurethanes.
• This research provides molecular-level insights for designing advanced, bio-based polyurethanes with tailored multifunctional responsiveness.