Suberin is a natural polyester providing the impermeability and mechanical damping of the plant cell walls. It is fascinating because ester bonds in the suberin can be easily hydrolyzed to provide various functional chemical precursors for further applications. This study investigates an unprecedented way to tailor energy-absorbing capabilities in silica-reinforced styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) composites by introducing depolymerized suberin derivatives (DSDs) extracted from cork and potato periderm. The filler–matrix couplings were experimentally and analytically investigated through dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and the Huber–Vilgis model. The DSDs modified silica–polymer interfaces seem to offer a substantial increase in strength, toughness, and energy-absorption by nearly 47 %, 336 %, and 126 %, respectively, compared to bis(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)-tetrasulfide (TESPT)-coupled elastomers, without sacrificing the modulus. These findings could inspire natural materials enabled composite design for high energy-absorbing materials and provide a breakthrough in utilizing natural resources for next-generation structures such as urban air mobility or autonomous electrical vehicle, which typically require multifunctional performances including lightweight, high strength, and energy-absorbing capability.
