Recyclable epoxy resin cuts plastic waste in planes and wind turbines

Scientists at Empa in Switzerland, led by Arvindh Sekar, have developed a novel recyclable epoxy resin that promises to significantly reduce plastic waste in industries such as aviation, automotive, and renewable energy. Traditional epoxy resins, widely used for their strength and durability in coatings, adhesives, and fiber-reinforced composites, are thermosets that cannot be remelted or reshaped after curing, leading to disposal primarily by incineration or landfill. The new resin incorporates a phosphorus-based polymer additive directly into the epoxy before curing, which not only imparts flame retardancy but also enables the cross-linked molecular structure to shift under heat, allowing the material to be ground into powder and reshaped multiple times through thermomechanical recycling without significant loss of mechanical strength. In addition to thermomechanical recycling, the epoxy resin can undergo chemical recycling to dissolve fiber-reinforced composites, such as carbon-fiber aircraft parts and wind turbine blades, enabling recovery of both fibers and over 90% of