Biobased High-Performance Epoxy Vitrimer with UV Shielding for Recyclable Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites

Abstract

A novel biobased epoxy vitrimer (Gte-VA) with desirable mechanical properties was synthesized from glycerol triglycidyl ether (Gte) and an imine-containing hardener (VA), which was also a biobased compound from vanillin and 4aminophenol. The biobased epoxy vitrimer shows Young's modulus of 1.6 GPa and tensile strength of 62 MPa, which is close to the value of amine-cured bisphenol A diglycidyl ether. In addition, it shows excellent reprocessability, recyclability, and UV shielding performance and can be used as a matrix to prepare carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced composites. Based on the amine− imine reversible exchange reaction of the imine bonds, the CF fabric could be recycled without damage from the composite, after degrading the resin in an amine solution. Especially, after recombining the degraded resin with recycled carbon fiber fabric, a regenerated carbon fiber reinforced composite with similar mechanical properties to the original composite can be obtained, achieving full recycling of the carbon fiber reinforced composite. This work will open a door to the development of simple procedures of high-performance biobased epoxy vitrimer and its application in fully recycled carbon fiber reinforced composite.

Fully Biobased Vitrimers: Future Direction toward Sustainable Cross‐Linked Polymers

“…Another strategy to obtain vanillinbased imine vitrimers relied on the synthesis of polyphenol precursors by condensation of the aldehyde function of vanillin with poly(amines) (route C, Figure 18). [154][155][156] The resulting polyphenols were then used to cross-link poly(epoxide) precursors, thus providing an imine-containing cross-linked polymer. Finally, another approach reported in the literature was based on the pho- topolymerization of a polyfunctional methacrylate monomer derived from vanillin (route D, Figure 18).…”

Designed from Biobased Materials for Recycling: Imine‐Based Covalent Adaptable Networks

“…1, 6-hexanediamine [49] ; 4-aminophenol [50] ; Methylcyclohexanediamine [51] For the thermoset: T g ≈ 83-96°C (from DMTA), [49] For the thermoset: T g ≈ 70°C (from DMTA) [50] ; For the thermoset: T g ≈ 131°C (from DMTA) [51] For the thermoset: 𝜎 ≈ 73-78 MPa, ɛ ≈…”

Study into the Mechanical Properties of a New Aeronautic-Grade Epoxy-Based Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Vitrimer

“…Over the past years, several vitrimer composites with diverse synthetic or natural monomers and dynamic formulations have been applied in continuous glass or carbon fiber reinforcements, showing promising mechanical properties compared to their thermoset counterparts [ 6 , 10 , 19 , 20 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. Some vitrimer formulations have attractive properties such as a high tensile strength, interlaminar shear strength or glass transition temperatures [ 6 , 23 ].…”