Tóm tắt

Conventional rubber products, such as tires, seals, tubing, and damping systems are manufactured via a vulcanization process, which forms covalently crosslinked network structures and ensures mechanical robustness,rnthermal stability and chemical resistance. However, the covalent networks are permanent and these productsrncannot be reprocessed or reshaped, which makes vulcanised rubbers one of the major challenges facing wasternmanagement and the circular economy. To reduce waste pollution for products such as tires, conventionalrnvulcanised rubbers must be replaced with reversibly crosslinked structures which are able to achieve mechanicalrnrobustness and chemical stability, whilst also being able to be reprocessed, reshaped, reused and recycled. Stateof-the-art developments in supramolecular chemistry have shed light on a new generation of reprocessablernelastomers and rubbers, which have the potential to tackle the long-standing issue of waste tire pollution. Thernintroduction of dynamic covalent bonds or supramolecular interactions in traditional elastomers can producernreversibly crosslinked structures, where the synergy between the dynamic bonds in the network are carefullyrnoptimised to balance the ease of processing, mechanical properties, and structural stability. Furthermore, dynamic covalent bonds and supramolecular interactions can provide ‘living’ functions to elastomers, such as selfhealing and stimuli-responsiveness. These properties can be further enhanced by the addition of nanofillers withrntailored surface chemistry to provide a dual role as a dynamic crosslinker and reinforcing element. To creaternreprocessable and recyclable elastomers, the coupling of multiple dynamic interactions provides unlimitedrnpossibilities to optimise the structure and properties of recyclable rubbers. Here we critically overview thernapplications of dynamic chemistry in rubbers, with a focus on macromolecular design and strategies to balancernthe mechanical, functional (e.g. self-healing) and reprocessing properties.