Vitrimer
materials, which are permanently cross-linked but reshapable
polymers, are a class of materials of growing interest due to their
potential in recycling and sustainable development. More precisely,
vitrimers derived from commodity polymers could have a drastic impact
on plastic consumption in the upcoming years. Here, the development
of a polystyrene-based vitrimer harnessing the recently discovered
hemiacetal ester exchange reaction of carboxylic acid is presented.
1,4-Cyclohexanedimethanol divinyl ether was reacted with 4-vinylbenzoic
acid (VBA) to form a divinyl species containing two hemiacetal ester
functions. This dimer was then copolymerized with styrene, butyl acrylate,
and VBA to form a cross-linked material presenting pendent acid groups.
This material exhibited three distinct behaviors at different temperature
regimes: below 80 °C, despite the exchange reactions able to
occur at this temperature, the cross-linked material behaved as a
frozen material due to the hydrogen bonding formed by the carboxylic
acid pendent groups. Between 80 and 130 °C, the vitrimer behavior
was demonstrated by rheological creep experiments. At higher temperatures,
the dissociation of the hemiacetal ester groups led to the loss of
the covalent cross-linking.