Biodegradable and multi-mode processable gelatin bioelastomer enabled by one-pot green synthesis

Elastomers are widely used in industrial, medical, and commercial fields. There is an urgent need for ideal elastomer that combine high toughness, recyclability, and degradability. However, their green and efficient preparation still faces severe challenges. This paper reports a simple one-pot in situ synthesis strategy utilizing biomass resources to produce bio-based elastomers. This process involves the in situ cross-linking of gelatin with ultra-low tannic acid content to form a homogeneous gelatin elastomer slurry. The resulting gelatin-based bioelastomer exhibits high mechanical performance, anti-ultraviolet capability, and soft characteristics. Furthermore, this material can safely biodegrade naturally, reducing environmental impact. These combined attributes position the bioelastomer as a strong candidate for emerging applications in flexible electronics, soft robotics, and biomedical engineering scaffolds, where mechanical durability, UV resistance, and environmental friendliness are concurrently required. By employing exclusively green and recyclable reagents, this one-pot strategy offers a practical pathway toward high-strength, degradable, and sustainable gelatin-based elastomers.