Sustainable Shape‐Memory Polyurethane from Abietic Acid: Superior Mechanical Properties and Shape Recovery with Tunable Transition Temperatures

Abstract A new chemical architecture from abietic acid, consisting of a cycloaliphatic unsaturated terminal diisocyanate (AADI) structure, is synthesized and fully characterized. The AADI is then used to construct an amorphous and biocompatible shape‐memory polyurethane (SMPU) network system with adjustable cross‐linking densities over a wide range. The SMPU network exhibits good shape‐memory properties with a shape fixing rate of greater than 98 % and a shape recovery rate of 95 %. In vitro hydrolytic biodegradation weight loss ratio of SMPUs reaches 71 % within eight weeks. The physical properties of these SMPUs are comparable to those reported for SMPUs obtained from commercially available petroleum‐derived diisocyanates. This is the first time that multiple SMPU networks based on abietic acid have been reported. These environmentally‐friendly SMPUs display a wide range of physicomechanical properties with promising hydrolytic degradability, showing good potential for practical application.