Self-healing polyurethane elastomers with dynamic crosslinked networks for complex structure 3D printing

3D printed polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) have gained widespread application across diverse fields due to their versatility and adaptability. However, in comparison to traditional PUEs manufacturing, 3D printed variants often exhibit inferior mechanical properties, rendering them susceptible to physical and chemical damage during use. This vulnerability significantly impacts their service life and overall reliability. Herein, we designed self-healing PUEs with reversible boronic ester bonds covalent adaptive network (3DP-PUE-xA) as igital light processing three-dimensional (DLP 3D) printing materials. A novel photocurable functional monomer (ABDBA) with boronic ester bonds as a dynamic crosslinker was synthesized. Complex structure was divided into DLP printable simple parts, successfully acquired through self-healing assembly. The optimal 3DP-PUE-3A possessed excellent self-healing property of 107.73 ± 5.29 %. Simultaneously, the damaged 3D printed structures could be restored to their original structure and function by heat treatment, greatly extending their service life. This study provided a crucial research direction for advancing the applications of self-healing materials and enhancing 3D printing technologies within the realms of materials science and manufacturing engineering.