Chapter 2: Dynamic Covalent Chemistry in Rubber Crosslinking Check Access

As a typical class of thermosets, rubbers suffer from great challenges in recycling and reuse. Incorporating dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC) into rubber crosslinking provides a very promising cradle-to-cradle solution to this issue. Rubbers crosslinked with dynamic covalent bonds can reshuffle their network topology at elevated temperatures, endowing rubbers with fascinating properties, such as self-healing, welding, reshaping, and reprocessing, while maintaining good stability enabled by the covalent bonds. To date, diverse DCCs have been introduced in rubbers. In this chapter, a simple introduction to DCC and covalent adaptable networks is first given, followed by an overview of the application of DCCs in rubber crosslinking according to the categories of DCCs. The mechanisms of the various DCCs and their effects on rubber performance are interpreted. At last, a conclusion is made with some perspectives on the possible challenges that need to be overcome for the practical application of DCCs in rubbers.