Healable and Recyclable Polymeric Materials with High Mechanical Robustness

The huge consumption and rapid expansion of polymeric materials in the world have caused pervasive environmental pollution and severe waste of material resources, urging the development of sustainable substitutes that are repeatedly healable and recyclable. In the past two decades, significant progress has been made in the development of healable and recyclable polymers based on the reversible noncovalent and/or dynamic covalent cross-linking of polymer chains. This Perspective focuses on the achievements on the mechanically robust dynamically cross-linked polymers with healability and recyclability. The strategies for the reinforcement of healable/recyclable polymers are highlighted, considering that the dynamically cross-linked polymers generally exhibit low mechanical robustness. The robust dynamically cross-linked polymers that are healable/recyclable upon heating and under mild conditions are also summarized. The emerging applications of the robust healable and recyclable polymers are further demonstrated. Outlooks are also provided to envision the remaining challenges for the further development and practical applications of healable and recyclable polymeric materials.