Trajectory Controlling and Collision Warning Device Based on Self‐Healing and Conductive Castor Oil‐Based Waterborne Polyurethane in Automated Guided Vehicles

Abstract

AbstractSustainable castor oil‐based waterborne polyurethanes (WPUs) are widely applied in multiple fields, while the strategies to simultaneously realize reprocessing, self‐healing, and novel applications are attractive and highly demanded. Herein, a molecular design strategy is proposed to incorporate dynamic oxime‐carbamate bonds into the castor oil‐based WPUs. The obtained networks exhibit excellent toughness (>44 MPa), adequate stretchability, and wonderful self‐healing efficiency (>95% at 80 °C for 8 h), which stand out among the reported cases. Moreover, the WPU film retained almost 100% of the original mechanical properties after consecutive reprocessing. With the incorporation of carbon nanotubes, the films are endowed with good electric conductivity, providing a general platform for fabricating flexible electronic devices. Specifically, wonderful performance in trajectory control and collision warning is displayed, which is expected to be an alternative to minimize the utilization of expensive and complex obstacle sensors in automated guided vehicles. This study contributes to the development of sustainable and self‐healing WPU‐based flexible material and opens the gate for novel and identified applications.