Synthesis and Properties of Tung Oil Based Self‐Healing Elastomers

ABSTRACT Based on the demand for sustainable economic and social development, the development of functional elastomers with renewable sources has attracted much attention. However, the mediation of the contradiction between the repairability and mechanical strength of elastomers remains a practical challenge. In this work, we have designed and prepared the functional elastomers starting from renewable biomass, which exhibit good strength and self‐healing properties. Tung oil was used to synthesize tung oil‐based monomers (TOMA) by modifying ester groups, which were further polymerized into comb‐like homopolymers (PTOMA). The tung oil‐based polymers were cross‐linked by 2, 2′‐(1,4‐phenyl)‐bis[4‐mercapto‐1,3,2‐dioxabane] (BDB) to construct functional elastomers with dynamic boronic ester bonds and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Reversible cross‐linking networks in elastomers enable efficient self‐healing. Additionally, the thermal and mechanical properties of the biobased elastomers can be tuned by controlling the content of the cross‐linker. The prepared elastomers possess comparable mechanical properties to conventional elastomers, with strengths up to 9.68 MPa. This work provides an idea and approach for the high‐value application of biomass resources.