Friction (Dec 2023)

Molecular design of recyclable thermosetting polyimide and its composite with excellent mechanical and tribological properties

  • Xiaoyue Wang,
  • Zenghui Yang,
  • Tingmei Wang,
  • Qihua Wang,
  • Xinrui Zhang,
  • Song Li

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-023-0770-6
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 3
pp. 452 – 461

Abstract

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Abstract Recyclability of thermosetting polymers and their composites is a challenge for alleviating environmental pollution and resource waste. In this study, solvent-recyclable thermosetting polyimide (PI) and its composite were successfully synthesized. The tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young’s modulus of PI are 108.70 ± 7.29 MPa, 19.35% ± 3.89%, and 2336.42 ± 128.00 MPa, respectively. The addition of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) not only enhances the mechanical properties of PI but also endows it with excellent tribological properties. The PI illustrates a high recycling efficiency of 94.15%, but the recycled composite exhibits inferior mechanical properties. The recycling and utilization of PI and its composite are realized through imine bonds (–C=N), which provides new guidance for solving the problem of environmental pollution and resource waste and is potential application in the field of sustainable tribology.

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