Wang, S., Feng, H., Lim, J. Y. C., Li, K., Li, B., Mah, J. J. Q., Xing, Z., Zhu, J., Loh, X. J., & Li, Z. (2024). Recyclable, Malleable, and Strong Thermosets Enabled by Knoevenagel Adducts. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 146(14), 9920–9927. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c00043
Abstract:
Plastic recycling is critical for waste management and achieving a circular economy, but it entails difficult trade-offs between performance and recyclability. Here, we report a thermoset, poly(α-cyanocinnamate) (PCC), synthesized using Knoevenagel condensation between terephthalaldehyde (TPA) and a triarm cyanoacetate star, that tackles this difficulty by harnessing its intrinsically conjugated and dynamic chemical characteristics. PCCs exhibit extraordinary thermal and mechanical properties with a typical Tg of ∼178 °C, Young’s modulus of 3.8 GPa, and tensile strength of 102 MPa, along with remarkable flexibility and dimensional and chemical stabilities. Furthermore, end-of-life PCCs can be selectively degraded and partially recycled back into one starting monomer TPA for a new production cycle or reprocessed through dynamic exchange aided by cyanoacetate chain-ends. This study lays the scientific groundwork for the design of robust and recyclable thermosets, with transformative potential in plastic engineering.
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Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - RIE2025 Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity (MTC) Programmatic Funding
Grant Reference no. : M22K9b0049
This research / project is supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - AME Young Individual Research Grants (YIRG)
Grant Reference no. : A2084c0168
This research / project is supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - AME Young Individual Research Grants (YIRG)
Grant Reference no. : M22K3c0103
This research / project is supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - Career Development Fund Seed Project 2022
Grant Reference no. : C222812032