Multifunctional 3D-Printable Photocurable Elastomer with Self-Healing Capability Derived from Waste Cooking Oil

Abstract

This study presents a sustainable approach to transform waste cooking oil (WCO) into a multifunctional 3D-printable photocurable elastomer with integrated self-healing capabilities. A linear monomer, WCO-based methacrylate fatty acid ethyl ester (WMFAEE), was synthesized via a sequential strategy of transesterification, epoxidation, and ring-opening esterification. By copolymerizing WMFAEE with hydroxypropyl acrylate (HPA), a novel photocurable elastomer was developed, which could be amenable to molding using an LCD light-curing 3D printer. The resulting WMFAEE-HPA elastomer exhibits exceptional mechanical flexibility (elongation at break: 645.09%) and autonomous room-temperature self-healing properties, achieving 57.82% recovery of elongation after 24 h at 25 °C. Furthermore, the material demonstrates weldability (19.97% retained elongation after 12 h at 80 °C) and physical reprocessability (7.75% elongation retention after initial reprocessing). Additional functionalities include pressure-sensitive adhesion (interfacial toughness: 70.06 J/m2 on glass), thermally triggered shape memory behavior (fixed at −25 °C with reversible deformation/recovery at ambient conditions), and notable biodegradability (13.25% mass loss after 45-day soil burial). Molecular simulations reveal that the unique structure of the WMFAEE monomer enables a dual mechanism of autonomous self-healing at room temperature without external stimuli: chain diffusion and entanglement-driven gap closure, followed by hydrogen bond-mediated network reorganization. Furthermore, the synergy between monomer chain diffusion/entanglement and dynamic hydrogen bond reorganization allows the WMFAEE-HPA system to achieve a balance of multifunctional integration. Moreover, the integration of these multifunctional attributes highlights the potential of this WCO-derived photocurable elastomer for various possible 3D printing applications, such as flexible electronics, adaptive robotics, environmentally benign adhesives, and so on. It also establishes a paradigm for converting low-cost biowastes into high-performance smart materials through precision molecular engineering.