The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

 Covalent adaptable networks (CANs) are promising alternatives to conventional polymer matrices for extending the service life of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs). However, their application has been limited by insufficient thermal and mechanical performance. In this study, we developed a high-performance CAN matrix by incorporating divinyl sulfone (DVS) into an epoxy resin. The resulting β-amino sulfone-based CAN (BAS) forms a rigid yet dynamic network due to the high polarity of DVS and the stiffness of the epoxy backbone. The BAS-based CFRP (BAS-CP) exhibited a high glass transition temperature of 170.9℃ and a tensile strength of 876.9 MPa, outperforming most vitrimer-based CFRPs. In addition, the dynamic bond exchange enables crack self-healing, reshaping of laminates and prolonged shelf life of prepregs. These combined properties—along with low-cost monomers and one-pot synthesis—make BAS a strong candidate for recyclable, and high-performance CFRPs.