Association between Serviceability and Recyclability of Amine-Cured Epoxy Thermosets

Comprehensive assessments of the serviceabilityand recyclabilityof different amine-curing epoxy resins and exploration of the correlationsbetween structure and properties. The dense cross-linked network not only endows epoxythermosetswith excellent performance in service time but also increases thedifficulty of recycling after the end of life. A great deal of researchhas been dedicated to developing new methods for chemcycling epoxythermosets. However, they are always case studies within specifictypes of curing agents, and it lacks understanding of the comprehensivelinkage among structure, performance, and recyclability of the thermosets.Herein, we explore the relationship between service performance andoxidative recovery of widely used types of amine-cured epoxy thermosets.Besides, it is also found that the early degradation stages are mainlydetermined by the grades of carbon linked to the amine in the curingagent, while the mid-late stages are mainly controlled by thecross-link density. This study will provide a useful guide to theservice life and recycling of amine-cured epoxy thermosets.