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Methods for recycling reinforced composites

a composite material and reinforced technology, applied in the field of composite materials and epoxy compositions, can solve the problems of inability to re-melt and re-form materials without decomposition, difficult removal, recycling and reworkability, and high cost of raw materials that go into composite construction. achieve the effect of easy control

Active Publication Date: 2020-07-30
CHANGSHA ADESSO ADVANCED MATERIALS CORP LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention allows for a fully recyclable fiber reinforced composite to be made using a cross-linked epoxy resin matrix derived from a degradable curing agent and epoxy resin. The recycling method is straightforward, economical, and easy to control.

Problems solved by technology

The incorporation of lightweight composites can offer substantial environmental benefits by way of leading to increased energy efficiency; yet, the positive impact of thermosetting plastic composites is offset by their lack of recyclability and persistence in the environment.
The raw materials (i.e. the plastic and fiber) that go into composite construction can be expensive, and are usually of petrochemical origins.
At the same time, the cross-linked network makes their removal, recycling and reworkability notoriously difficult.
The cross-linking reactions that occur with conventionally used polyamine epoxies formulation are essentially irreversible; therefore, the material cannot be re-melted and re-shaped without decomposition; the material cannot be readily dissolved either.
As a result, finber reinforced epoxies or epoxy-based composite materials are not amenable to standard recycling practices because the epoxy matrix and fibers cannot be readily separated, and recovered.
Burning provides a mechanism to recover some of the energy input, but the incineration process requires large amounts of energy and remains questionable from an environmental standpoint.
While this approach is a step forward with regard to sustainability, it does not represent a more fully recyclable approach as the plastic matrix is not recovered in a repurposable form as it is destroyed in the process.
There are no known examples in the prior art of use of composite materials constructed from reworkable epoxy compositions.

Method used

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  • Methods for recycling reinforced composites
  • Methods for recycling reinforced composites
  • Methods for recycling reinforced composites

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

Synthesis of Curing Agent A

[0042]

[0043]N-(2-hydroxyethyl)phthalimide (1000 g), paraformaldehyde (157 g), and p-toluene sulfonic acid (6.8 g) were placed in 1.5 L of toluene in a 5 L round bottom flask equipped with Dean Stark apparatus. After 20 hours at reflux, the reaction was cooled to ambient temperature. Then 2 L of petroleum ether (bp: 60-90° C.) was added to the reaction mixture. The white precipitate was collected by filtration and washed with 1 L of petroleum ether and dried to yield 950 g of crude protected diamine. The crude diamine was deprotected by treatment with 3.4 L of 20% aqueous NaOH at reflux. After 10 h at reflux, the reaction mixture was cooled to ambient temperature, extracted with chloroform / isopropanol (3:1). The organic phase dried with anhydrous Na2SO4, and then distilled under vacuum to yield 200 g of curing agent A (Bp=71-72° C. @ 70 Pa): 1H NMR (CDCl3, 400 MHz): 4.74 (s, 2H), 3.59 (t, J=5.2 Hz, 4H), 2.89 (t, J=5.2 Hz, 4H).

example 2

Synthesis of Curing Agent B

[0044]

[0045]N-(2-hydroxyethyl)phthalimide (1000 g), 2,2-dimethoxypropane (280 g), and p-toluene sulfonic acid (8 g) were placed in 1.5 L of toluene in a round bottom flask equipped with Dean Stark apparatus. After 20 hours, the reaction was cooled to ambient temperature and then 2 L of petroleum ether (bp: 60-90° C.) was added to the reaction mixture. The white precipitate was collected by filtration and washed with 1 L of petroleum ether and dried to yield 900 g of crude protected diamine. The crude diamine was deprotected by treatment with 80% hydrazine hydrate (460 g) in ethanol (600 mL) at reflux. After 10 h at reflux, the reaction mixture was cooled to ambient temperature and the precipitate was filtered from the solution and washed with ethanol and dichloromethane, respectively. The organic phases were combined, dried with anhydrous Na2SO4, and then distilled under vacuum to afford 200 g of curing agent B (Bp=61-64° C. @ 80 Pa): 1H NMR (CDCl3, 400 MH...

example 3

Preparation of a Reworkable Epoxy Composition and Fabrication of a Carbon Fiber Composite

[0046]A reworkable epoxy composition was prepared by blending curing agent A (20 g) and a bisphenol A epoxy resin 828 (112 g, epoxy equivalent weight=185-192) at room temperature. This composition was used to fabricate a carbon fiber reinforced degradable epoxy composite using a wet lay-up method. Three pieces of woven carbon fiber fabric (3K) were used. After a final stage cure (2 h at 80° C., then 1 h at 125° C.), a carbon fiber composite obtained.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for recycling reinforced composites. The reinforced composite comprises a reinforcement material in a cross-linked polymer matrix, wherein the cross-linked polymer comprises a cross-linking group derived from a curing agent represented by formula I, wherein R1 is hydrogen, alkyl, cylcoalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkoxy alkyl or alkynyl; A is alkyl, alkenyl, alkenene, alkylene-hetero-alkylene, alkylene-heterocyclo-alkylene, alkylene, alkylene-oxy-alkylene, 1,4-alkyl substituted piperazine, carbonyl, thiocarbonyl; B is alkyl, alkenyl, alkenene, alkylene-hetero-alkylene, alkylene-heterocyclo-alkylene, alkylene, alkylene-oxy-alkylene, 1,4-alkyl substituted piperazine, carbonyl, thiocarbonyl; R2 is hydrogen, alkyl, aminoalkyl, alkyl-amino-alkyl, cylcoalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or heteroaryl; and R3 is hydrogen, alkyl, aminoalkyl, alkyl-amino-alkyl, cylcoalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or heteroaryl.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 14 / 114,140, filed on Mar. 21, 2014, which in a U.S. national phase application of PCT / CN2012 / 07085, filed on May 4, 2012, which in turn claims priority PCT / CN2011 / 076980, filed on Jul. 8, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.TECHNOLOGY FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention belongs to the field of composite materials and epoxy compositions. More specifically the present invention belongs in the field of recyclable composite materials and in the field of reworkable / degradable epoxies.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Epoxies serve massive global markets in adhesives and coatings, and are also one of the industry standard thermosetting plastic matrices used for construction of fiber reinforced plastics (FRP). FRPs are composite materials consisting of a polymer matrix and a fiber such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, arami...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): C08J11/16C08J11/26
CPCC08J2363/00C08J11/26C08J11/16Y02W30/62Y02W30/66Y02W30/74
Inventor LIANG, BOQIN, BINGPASTINE, STEFANLI, XIN
Owner CHANGSHA ADESSO ADVANCED MATERIALS CORP LTD