Vitrimers for Sustainable Processing and Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

Recent advances in dynamic covalent polymer networks have enabled the development of vitrimer materials that combine processability, recyclability, and multifunctionality. In this presentation, recent efforts toward the fabrication of sustainable vitrimer-based materials for advanced additive manufacturing will be introduced. First, a bio-based vitrimer resin derived from soybean oil will be presented for Digital Light Processing (DLP) 4D printing. Through a dual-curing strategy, the resin exhibits tunable mechanical and thermal properties, shape memory behavior, and closed-loop recyclability, enabling sustainable fabrication of smart structures. Second, a photocurable mechanochromic vitrimer system incorporating dual dynamic covalent bonds will be discussed. The material enables UV-assisted Direct Ink Writing (DIW) 3D printing and coating processes while providing visual damage reporting, repairability, and reprocessability. These studies demonstrate how vitrimer chemistry can provide a versatile platform for next-generation fabrication technologies, enabling sustainable, multifunctional, and reprocessable polymer systems for advanced manufacturing applications.