Recyclable fully biobased high-performance epoxy thermosets
Roxana Dinu, Ugo Lafont, Olivier Damiano, Alice Mija
Abstract
Thermosetting polymeric materials play a pivotal role in numerous sectors due to their versatility in tailoring physicochemical and mechanical properties and their exceptional performances. The aim of this study is to design 100 % bio-based high performant and recyclable thermosets. To achieve this goal, a natural and renewable-based epoxy monomer, triglycidyl ether of phloroglucinol (TGPh), was crosslinked with biobased anhydrides to create novel polymeric resins. Through detailed investigations, it was found that the designed materials have storage moduli values at room temperature ranging from 2.1 to 3.4 GPa, with damping factors spanning from 86 °C to 163 °C depending on the nature of the anhydride. Tensile tests corroborated the performant mechanical properties of the designed bio-resins, showing Young's modulus values ranging from 1.2 to 1.5 GPa. Furthermore, the water absorption values are very low, ranging from 0.25 % to 0.35 %. Besides, the designed bio-resins exhibited rapid dissolution in TBD/EG solution, as well as thermo-mechanical reprocessability. • Phloroglucinol based thermosets with a biobased carbon content > 99 %. • Materials with performance required in high-end industries. • Biobased thermosets with excellent hydrostability. • Ability of chemical decomposition and thermo-mechanical reprocessing.