| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2024 ASC Technical Conference, US-Japan Joint Symposium, D30 Meeting
|
| Symposium
|
2024 ASC Technical Conference, US-Japan Joint Symposium, D30 Meeting
|
| Presentation Title |
Composite Repair Using Thermo-Reversible Epoxy Vitrimers for Extending Service Life and Reducing Waste |
| Author(s) |
Jeffrey Masten-Davies, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Juan Zhang, Russell Varley |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Jeffrey Masten-Davies |
| Abstract Scope |
. Since vitrimers were first reported in 2011, a new realm of possibilities in polymer science has been opened. Vitrimers are a family of polymer networks that, for the first time, display properties similar to both intractable thermosets and processable thermoplastics. Due to the innovative use of dynamic covalent bonds, in this case, by activating transesterification reactions in epoxy anhydride networks, fully cured and typically intractable networks can be re-processed as if they were a thermoplastic polymer. This behaviour has enabled the development of polymer composites that can be used effectively as “reversible on-demand” adhesives, enabling repeated recycling and reuse. Indeed, a wide variety of applications can be envisaged for these materials. In this work, a vitrimer formulation based upon an epoxy anhydride network has been used to create prepreg systems that do not have a defined shelf-life as they have already been cured. But despite complete network formation, these pre-preg systems remain ready to be re-activated and fabricated into high-performance composites. Composite laminates have been successfully fabricated using this pre-preg, exhibiting void-free structures and good mechanical properties. The repairability was demonstrated through the assessment of mechanical property recovery in dam-aged samples, utilising a simple hot-pressing process to reform them. Additionally, composites incorporating vitrimer prepreg and thermoplastic interlayers were investigated, showcasing their potential for reprocessability and recyclability of the materials. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Definite: Post-meeting proceedings |