Dissolution of epoxy thermosets via mild alcoholysis: the mechanism and kinetics study.

ABSTRACT: Thermoset dissolution based on degradable bond or exchange reaction has been recently utilized to achieve thermosetting polymer dissolution and recycling. In this paper, an industrial grade epoxy thermoset was utilized as a model system to demonstrate the thermoset dissolution via solvent assisted transesterification (or alcoholysis) with high efficiency under mild conditions. The anhydride-cured epoxy thermoset was depolymerized by selective ester bond cleavage in 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4,4,0]dec-5-ene (TBD)-alcohol solution below 180 °C at ordinary pressure in less than two hours. The epoxy dissolution proceeded in a surface erosion mode via transesterification that was coupled with catalyst-alcohol diffusion. Based on this observation, a surface layer model containing three l

SUBMITTER: Kuang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9077052 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature