Repairable, Degradable and Recyclable Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Bio-Based Epoxy Vitrimer Composites Enabled by Facile Transesterification.

ABSTRACT: Developing high-performance bio-based epoxy resins as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived bisphenol A (BPA) epoxies for recyclable carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) is pivotal in materials research. Herein, the bio-based bisphenol monomer BDEF was synthesized from the lignin derivative 4-propylguaiacol. The derived epoxy monomer BDEF-EP was cured with adipic acid to form a bio-based vitrimer. Stress relaxation synergistically accelerates through intrinsic dynamic carboxylic acid ester exchange and enhanced chain mobility from the flexible propyl structure. At 220 °C, this vitrimer shows rapid stress relaxation (τ* < 30 s) and repairs ~90% of surface scratches in 30 min. It exhibits tensile and flexural strengths of 69 MPa and 105 MPa, respectively. BDEF-EP's low viscosity

SUBMITTER: Lin H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12431544 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature