Bio-based epoxy vitrimer for recyclable and carbon fiber reinforced materials: Synthesis and structure-property relationship. (18th August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Wenbin; Xiao, Laihui; Huang, Jinrui; Wang, Yigang; Nie, Xiaoan; Chen, Jie
• Is Part Of: Composites science and technology. Volume 227(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-08-18
• Subjects: Vitrimer -- Epoxy-acid-anhydride system -- CFRMs -- Degradable -- Recycling; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Composite materials; Fibrous composites; Periodicals; 620.118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2022.109575
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-3538

Abstract

Abstract: Recycling or degradation of epoxy resins is difficult because of their covalent cross-linking structures, which causes resource crisis, environmental pollution, and resource waste. To address this challenge, we reported a recyclable and degradable epoxy vitrimer with dynamic ester bonds prepared from tung oil and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A via epoxy-acid-anhydride crosslinking system. Owing to the compact rigid six-member ring and the anhydride structure, the epoxy vitrimer shows high thermal stability, and excellent dynamic mechanical, and mechanical properties with tensile strength of 59.21 ± 1.02 MPa and glass transition temperature of 76.73 °C. The vitrimer network can achieve topological rearrangement via dynamic transesterification reactions with the addition of a Zn catalyst. Thus, the contrivable vitrimer exhibits excellent self-healing, shape memory, and physical recycling at elevated temperatures. Moreover, the epoxy vitrimer matrix has high joining strength with carbon fibers and can be used to prepare carbon-fiber-reinforced materials (CFRMs). The carbon fibers can be completely recycled from CFRMs through an ethanol-NaOH mixture solvent. This work can assist in preparation of degradable high-strength CFRMs using a recyclable tung-oil-based vitrimer matrix and provides a strategy for efficient recycling of carbon fibers from CFRMs. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Tung oils show the multiple functional groups, low cost, and wide availability. The vitrimer exhibited high mechanical properties due to the introduction of rigid structures. The contrivable vitrimer exhibits excellent self-healing, shape memory, and physical reprocessing. The epoxy vitrimer can be used as a matrix for carbon fiber reinforced composites. CFs can be completely recycled from CFRMs through available mixed solvents.