POS9-0072
Photo-Healable and Stretchable Fibers from Upcycled TPEE and Azopolymers by Harnessing Solid-to-Liquid Photoisomerization
Topic
S9. Polymer Technology for Sustainability
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Heesuk KIM
Jinhye BAE
Presenter(s)
Yen Shen Hsu (National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
The growing global emphasis on environmental sustainability has accelerated efforts to develop products made from recycled plastics. However, most current applications remain limited to packaging and beverage containers, primarily due to high recycling costs and low economic return. In this study, we address this challenge by upcycling plastic waste through the depolymerization and repolymerization of discarded polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into thermoplastic polyester elastomers (TPEE). To further enhance the material’s functionality and reusability, an azobenzene-containing polymer (PAzo) is incorporated, utilizing its reversible photo-induced solid-to-liquid phase transition under ultraviolet and visible light. One-dimensional photoresponsive fibers are fabricated via electrospinning of TPEE/PAzo blends. The photo-healable performance of the fibers is evaluated by assessing the healing efficiency at various PAzo concentrations through tensile testing, and the microscopic healing behavior is examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This work demonstrates a promising strategy for creating high-value, stretchable, and photoresponsive smart-healing fibers toward sustainable material innovation.
