We introduce a novel grafting-through polymerization strategy to synthesize dynamic bottlebrush polymers and elastomers in one step using light to construct a disulfide-containing backbone. The key starting material—α-lipoic acid (LA)—is commercially available, inexpensive, and biocompatible. When installed on polymer chain end(s), the cyclic disulfide unit derived from LA polymerizes under ultraviolet (UV) light yielding bottlebrush networks. This chemistry also enables 3D printing of bottlebrush elastomers via digital light processing (DLP). Sophisticated objects that are both super-soft and solvent-free can be printed with a commercial DLP printer. The resulting materials are thermally stable and undergo dynamic disulfide exchange when exposed to ultraviolet light or elevated temperatures, facilitating reprocessing, post-fabrication healing, and on-demand degradation.

Light-mediated synthesis and digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing of bottlebrush dynamic materials

ACS Spring 2022

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