Degradable Polyketone Thermoplastic Elastomers with Biomass Sourced Composition

Abstract Polyolefin elastomers (POEs) serve as versatile materials bridging rubber and plastic properties across a variety of industrial processes, but their environmental persistence stemming from inert hydrocarbon composition raises ecological concerns. Here, we present a sustainable synthesis of degradable thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) through the carbonylative polymerization of ethylene and biomass‐derived polar monomers (PMs). A cost‐effective and scalable nickel catalyst has overcome the dual poison to metal center resulted from polar acid or ester motif and CO, enabling the synthesis of high‐molecular‐weight polyketone materials with moderate strain recovery (SR) values ranging from 27% to 61%. The resulting polyketones exhibit high melting temperature (109 °C–244 °C) and tensile strength (14.9–41.6 MPa), corresponding to thermally resistant TPEs. This study demonstrates one type of high‐performance TPEs having biomass sourced composition that combine industrial durability with photodegradability.