Using tannin as a biological curing agent to design fully bio-based epoxidized natural rubber/polylactic thermoplastic vulcanizates with mechanical robustness and multi-stimuli-responsive shape memory properties

Jiarong Huang, Haonan Wu, Xiao Wang, Lingcao Tan, Wenhua Xu ,Qiongyao Wang, Yong Liang, Huiwen Yu, Zhan Liu, Baiping Xu, Shuping Xiao

Location

ScienceDirect

Abstract

To effectively mitigate carbon emissions and promote sustainability in the polymer field, biological macromolecules have emerged as a prominent strategy for fabricating functional materials. Herein, tannin (TA) was used as a biological curing agent to design fully bio-based polylactic/epoxidized natural rubber thermoplastic vulcanizates (PLA/ENR TPVs) with mechanical robustness and multi-stimuli-responsive shape memory properties. A dual cross-linking network, comprising both covalent bonds and hydrogen bonds, was successfully constructed in the ENR phase. A special co-continuous morphology was concomitantly constructed in the TPVs, which promoted effective stress transfer between the PLA and ENR phases, endowing the TPVs with balanced stiffness-toughness and shape memory properties. Moreover, the photothermal effect of TA also made it respond to near-infrared light and sunlight, which achieved the non-contact multistage shape memory performance, revealing the significant potential of the TPVs in the field of actuators.

Let's make the use of biobased and recovered raw materials the new standard.

Let's make the use of biobased and recovered raw materials the new standard.

Let's make the use of biobased and recovered raw materials the new standard.