Research progress in lignin/vanillin-based vitrimer and recyclable carbon fiber composites

Abstract

Thermosetting resins are widely used in the composition of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers （CFRPs）， which are insoluble and non-melting after curing， making thermosetting resins and carbon fibers （CFs） difficult to recycle and reuse.Vitrimer has the advantages of thermosetting and thermoplastic resins， which can achieve high-performance CFRPs preparation and non-destructive recovery of CFs. Moreover， the construction of vitrimer and its CFRPs by the bio-based materials， such as lignin and vanillin， is in line with the green development concept. The methods， properties， and their applications for the preparation of bio-based vitrimer from lignin and vanillin were summarized in this paper； the applications of vanillin-based vitrimer in the recyclable CFRPs were reviewed； the future development of lignin/vanillin-based vitrimer and its CFRPs were outlooked. This paper would provide a reference for the construction of high-performance lignin and its derivative vitrimer and CFRPs.

Keywords

• lignin
• vanillin
• bio-based vitrimer
• carbon fiber-reinforced polymers
• high-performance
• recyclable