Renewable Biobased Vitrimers with Dual Dynamic Networks: High-Performance, Fully Recyclable, and Antimicrobial Materials for Potential Wearable Applications

The need for sustainable, high-performance, and recyclable materials is growing, but biobased polymers often lack the necessary durability and functionality. Here, we report a class of biobased, metal-coordinated polyimine vitrimers (MCPVs) engineered through dual Fe3+ coordination sites (imine and methoxy groups) within a Schiff base network. The MCPVs achieved enhanced mechanical performance (tensile strength up to 25.6 MPa, toughness of 23.6 MJ/m3), thermal stability (>298 °C decomposition temperature), and acid/solvent resistance with only Fe3+ loading (5 mol %). The material retains closed-loop recyclability via hydrolysis with >99.9% antimicrobial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Integrated with conductive layers, MCPVs enable fully recyclable wearable sensors for real-time motion detection, maintaining functionality after multiple recycling cycles. This work highlights a design strategy between sustainability and high performance, offering a scalable blueprint for circular-economy electronics and polymers.