On the development of sustainable covalent adaptable networks based on epoxidized soybean oil acrylate and cystamine

On the development of sustainable covalent adaptable networks based on epoxidized soybean oil acrylate and cystamine | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article On the development of sustainable covalent adaptable networks based on epoxidized soybean oil acrylate and cystamine Leonardo Giribaldi, Giacomo Damonte, Alberto Fina, Camilla Noè, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9280941/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 15 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The work focuses on the design of sustainable materials that meet key environmental requirements, including the bio-based origin of starting compounds, environmentally friendly preparation methods, as well as easy recyclability and biodegradation at the end of life. To this end, systems based on reagents from renewable sources, such as epoxidized soybean oil acrylate (ESOA) and cystamine (Cys) as a crosslinker, were developed to form covalent adaptable networks (CANs), using a simple reaction carried out under mild conditions, without the need for solvent or catalyst. Two different molar ratios between the acrylate groups of ESOA and the amino groups of Cys were investigated (1:1, ESOA-Cys_1:1 and 2:1, ESOA-Cys_2:1). The Aza–Michael reaction between the two components was confirmed and monitored during curing at different temperatures by IR spectroscopy, revealing distinct kinetic behaviors for the two formulations, phenomenon which was attributed to a change in the reaction mechanism. In ESOA-Cys_1:1, Cys molecules react with ESOA acrylate groups through their two primary amines, forming β-amino ester linkages that act as crosslinks and convert the primary amines into secondary ones. In contrast, the lower relative concentration of amine groups in the ESOA-Cys_2:1 formulation favors further reaction of the secondary amines with unreacted acrylate groups. In both cases, network creation was confirmed by gel fraction analysis, while DMTA and rheological measurements of the cured samples revealed the formation of more rigid networks in ESOA-Cys_2:1, attributed to a higher crosslinking density. Stress-relaxation experiments demonstrated the dynamic nature of the networks in both formulations, although the relaxation behavior depended on the acrylate: amino groups molar ratio, reflecting the crosslinking density. Finally, the developed CANs exhibited excellent recyclability and self-healing properties when heated to 180°C and were completely degraded by enzymatic hydrolysis. Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files SupportingInformation.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 12 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 11 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 02 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 20 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 16 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 13 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 01 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 01 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 31 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9280941","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":624171821,"identity":"5d51a4ed-7c04-43b6-af38-ca335b066115","order_by":0,"name":"Leonardo Giribaldi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Università degli Studi di Genova","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Leonardo","middleName":"","lastName":"Giribaldi","suffix":""},{"id":624171822,"identity":"56392aca-f73b-4ea7-9dfc-3c5b1414b0f5","order_by":1,"name":"Giacomo Damonte","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Università degli Studi di 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