Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in the academic community. We look forward to seeing you there!
PO039: Next generation of sustainable wind blades based on a novel recyclable 3R epoxy vitrimer composite
Alaitz Rekondo, Head of Polymers and Composites Unit, CIDETEC
Abstract
Wind rotor blades are typically manufactured from glass/epoxy composites. Due to their crosslinked chemical structure (thermoset nature), epoxy composites cannot be remolded, reshaped or dissolved, and therefore, their recycling or repairing is extremely difficult. Vitrimers are a versatile new class of materials that could potentially overcome some of the above-mentioned limitations of thermoset polymers and composites. In this context and being aware that the thermoset composite materials sector needs a recycling solution, CIDETEC started in 2013 to study dynamic covalent chemistries, resulting in the development and patent of an intrinsically recyclable epoxy resin and its composites, that preserve all the advantages of conventional thermosets while showing unprecedented features such as Re-processability, Reparability and Recyclability. The new material was named 3R Composite. Since 2015, CIDETEC is collaborating with many companies of different sectors that are important endusers of composites such as, aeronautic, wind energy, automotive or railway, and it is already demonstrated that 3R composites present the same high performance as conventional thermoset composites and therefore can be used in these sectors. Moreover, all the raw materials needed for the manufacturing of 3R composites are already commercially available and thus, the industrial implementation of these 3R composites can be straightforwarded. But, although the new functionalities of reprocessability, repairability and recyclability of 3R composites have been already validated at lab scale (TRL 3-4), it is still necessary to continue developing them in order to bring them closer to the market. Regarding the wind energy sector, CIDETEC is currently working in the Carbo4Power European project (https://www.carbo4power.net/) where a specific 3R epoxy resin that meets the processing and curing requirements to be used in the manufacturing of intrinsically recyclable wind rotor blades through an infusion process is being developed.
