Ultratough Polyurethane Elastomers for Artificial Ligaments

Aromatic polyols are pivotal in conferring specific properties to synthetic polymers. This study focuses on extracting natural lignin polyols (LPs) that feature a distinctive aromatic backbone and a plethora of reactive sites from lignocellulosic waste via a simultaneous functionalization method. Incorporating just 10% LPs into polyurethane substantially improves the strength and performance of elastomers, with breakthrough characteristics exceeding those of similar materials. These polyurethane elastomers exhibit extreme toughness with fracture stresses up to 3.5 GPa and impressive energy absorption at 1.3 GJ m–3. They also demonstrate extraordinary flexibility, stretching up to 4,800% and lifting weights 200,000 times their own. Additionally, their biocompatibility makes them suitable for biomedical applications like artificial ligaments. This research highlights an efficient, sustainable technique for advancing polymer technology using natural resources, which adds significant value to discarded materials.