Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) play a major role in enabling highly efficient energy usage in various applications ranging from aerospace to automobiles and sporting goods, because of their lightweight and robust mechanical properties. The global demand for CFRP is continuously increasing which leads to the rapid growth of carbon fiber adoption in various industries generating major environmental challenges in waste management. Most of the conventional CFRPs are very difficult to be recycled and ultimately end up in the natural environment or a landfill because their resins are permanently crosslinked, which prevents remolding, repairing, or recycling. Therefore, implementing CFRPs with energy-efficient, rapid processes under mild conditions and enabling long-lasting recyclability is critically needed for establishing circular manufacturing of CFRPs, that reduce their energy usage and carbon footprint. Herein, we incorporated dynamic vitrimer chemistry into the polymer matrix to develop fast-processable, repairable, recyclable, and affordable CFRPs, while exhibiting superior mechanical properties. The newly synthesized dynamic crosslinked polymers (vitrimers) and their CFRPs consist of thermally exchangeable boronic ester crosslinkers that behave as an insoluble thermoset and flowable thermoplastic upon heating. The dynamic covalent bonding at CFRPs improved fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion, superior mechanical properties, repairability, and recyclability. This presentation will summarize our effort in the design, synthesis, and processing of novel dynamically crosslinked polymers and their CFRPs for the circular economy.

High-performance carbon fiber composites via tailored vitrimer chemistry

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