Synthesis of lignin-based elastomers via ARGET ATRP: Exceptional mechanical strength, adhesion, and self-repair properties.

In this study, ARGET ATRP method was employed to graft two functional monomers from lignin, resulting in the synthesis of a series of Lignin-graft-poly(lauryl methacrylate-co-cyclohexyl methacrylate) (Lignin-g-P(LMA-co-CMA)) copolymers with varying feed ratios and lignin content. The results demonstrate that by varying the feed ratios of the two monomers, the glass transition temperature of lignin-based elastomers can be finely tuned. Importantly, the introduction of lignin and CMA imparts outstanding mechanical properties to the lignin-based elastomers, with a maximum tensile strength reaching 20.13 MPa. The elastic recovery rate of the lignin-based elastomers was exceptional, with the elastic recovery coefficient (ER) of Lignin0.52-PLMA500 exceeding 90 %. Adhesion tests on various substrates revealed the remarkable adhesion properties of these copolymers. In particular, Lignin0.52-PLMA500 exhibited strong adhesion on both iron plate and glass substrate, with adhesion strengths of 2.23 MPa and 2.33 MPa, respectively. Notably, Lignin0.52-PLMA500 demonstrated significant self-healing ability after damage. Furthermore, the lignin-based elastomer exhibited exceptional ultraviolet absorption performance. In conclusion, the incorporation of lignin opens up a novel pathway for the development of high-strength and tough lignin-based elastomers. However，more effort still needs to be paid for increasing the adhesive properties aiming to explore more potential application field.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)