POS9-0771
Crosslinker-Free Thiol–Epoxy Vitrimers Enabling Closed-Loop Chemical Recycling
Topic
S9. Polymer Technology for Sustainability
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Jinkee HONG
Ki Su KIM
Presenter(s)
Sohee Kim (Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Vitrimers are polymer materials that combine the mechanical strength and thermal stability of thermosets with the reprocessability of thermoplastics through dynamic covalent bond exchange.
In this work, a vitrimer was prepared from the click reaction of a difunctional thiol and a difunctional epoxy without any added crosslinker. The two monomers first form linear chains; the β-hydroxyl groups and ester linkages generated along the main chain then undergo interchain transesterification under a base catalyst and heat to build a three-dimensional network. Because the same transesterification reaction governs both network formation and thermal reprocessing, no separate crosslinker is required.
The chemical recyclability was further evaluated through a depolymerization–repolymerization strategy. The network was decomposed into low-molecular-weight products by methanolysis, after which a base catalyst was reintroduced and heat applied to reconstruct the network via transesterification. This demonstrates closed-loop recyclability in which network formation, degradation, and reconstruction are all linked by the same dynamic chemistry.
In this work, a vitrimer was prepared from the click reaction of a difunctional thiol and a difunctional epoxy without any added crosslinker. The two monomers first form linear chains; the β-hydroxyl groups and ester linkages generated along the main chain then undergo interchain transesterification under a base catalyst and heat to build a three-dimensional network. Because the same transesterification reaction governs both network formation and thermal reprocessing, no separate crosslinker is required.
The chemical recyclability was further evaluated through a depolymerization–repolymerization strategy. The network was decomposed into low-molecular-weight products by methanolysis, after which a base catalyst was reintroduced and heat applied to reconstruct the network via transesterification. This demonstrates closed-loop recyclability in which network formation, degradation, and reconstruction are all linked by the same dynamic chemistry.
