In Water Fabricated and Recycled Covalent Adaptable Acylhydrazone Thermosets

Thermosetting resins play an increasingly important role in daily life due to their good mechanical properties. However, they can hardly be recycled and reused, leading to severe environmental pollution. A very promising solution to this dilemma is to develop sustainable thermosets from biomass that can be recycled and reprocessed on demand under environmentally friendly conditions. In this study, sustainable thermosets based on dynamic acylhydrazone bonds made from biomass acid derivatives is reported. The sustainability of the presented acylhydrazone biomass covalent adaptable networks (CANs) thermosetting resins is summarized as follows: 1) The raw materials are renewable resources; 2) the resins can be recycled to maintain their mechanical properties, which can considerably extend their service life; and 3) the material preparation and recycling can be conducted in the mixed solvent of water/ dimethyl sulfoxide (7/3), which excellent reduced the use of organic solvents. In addition, these acylhydrazone CANs thermosets have excellent mechanical performance and outstanding heat resistance. The acylhydrazone bonds in the thermoset networks can enhance the hydrophobicity and water resistance of the acylhydrazone CANs thermosets. Taken together, these acylhydrazone CANs thermosets which are fabricated and recycled in the mixed solvent provide a solution to developing sustainable materials.

Automated summary

This study reports sustainable thermosets based on dynamic acylhydrazone bonds made from biomass acid derivatives. These thermosets have renewable raw materials, can be recycled to maintain mechanical properties, and have reduced use of organic solvents during material preparation and recycling. Additionally, they exhibit excellent mechanical performance and heat resistance. The acylhydrazone bonds in the thermoset networks enhance hydrophobicity and water resistance. Overall, these thermosets provide a solution for developing sustainable materials.