Researchers from South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan Textile University, and Hubei University in China have developed a recyclable epoxy resin that can be used to make carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) with improved strength and durability. The new resin, called high-strength recyclable epoxy resin (HREP), is designed to be reprocessable and can be degraded at 140°C in solvents such as DMSO, making it suitable for reuse. The CFRPs made with HREP have a tensile strength of 1016.1 MPa, interfacial shear strength of 70.8 MPa, and interlaminar shear strength of 76.0 MPa, among other impressive mechanical properties. The researchers also modified carbon fibers with hyperbranched ionic liquids to improve their bonding with the epoxy resin. This innovation offers a solution to the recyclability challenge of CFRPs while improving their performance. The open-loop recycling of CFRPs can reduce waste and improve resource efficiency, aligning with the goal of minimizing environmental impact while maintaining high-performance materials. This development is a significant step towards sustainable materials science and has the potential to transform industries reliant on composite materials.
Pioneering carbon fiber composites: where resilience meets eco-efficiency
