Advanced Composites
Polymer physics and advanced manufacturing
Background
Epoxy composites are key materials in aerospace, automotive, and wind energy sectors due to their excellent mechanical and chemical resistance. Most are produced from prepregs, which ensure quality but require refrigerated storage, protective liners, and have limited shelf life. Their thermoset nature also prevents reshaping and recycling, adding cost and limiting sustainability in composite manufacturing
Invention
A new generation of ionic epoxy networks has been developed, featuring a unique two-step curing process. The first stage produces a meltable, fusible thermoplastic-like intermediate that can be extruded, molded, or processed into prepregs and filament-wound structures before undergoing a final thermal curing step to form a rigid thermoset network.
Unlike conventional liquid epoxy systems, the solid prepregs derived from this intermediate are non-tacky, shelf-stable at room temperature, and require no refrigerated storage or release liners, significantly simplifying handling and logistics. The final cured material combines excellent mechanical performance with ionic functionality, enabling chemical recycling, easy fiber recovery, and potential ionic conductivity for multifunctional composites
Potential Applications
- Structural composites for aerospace, automotive and wind energy sectors.
- High-performance enduring prepregs.
- Automated filament winding manufacturing lines.
- Recyclable and bio-based structural resins for sustainable composites.
Key Benefits
- Thermoplastic-to-thermoset transition, allowing flexible processing.
- Solid prepregs that can be stored at room temperature and shaped by heat.
- Ideal for clean filament winding processes.
- High mechanical strength, comparable to conventional composites.
- Chemical recycling in mild acid, enabling full carbon fiber recovery.
- Scalable synthesis from commercially available components.
IPR Status
- Patent application: EP25382985.7
- Priority date: 17/09/2025
Related Publications
I. Kurowska, L. Unanue, I. Calafel, D. Otaegui, J. L. Olmedo-Martínez, L. Irusta, D. Vinagre, N. Aramburu, N. Casado, I. Odriozola, D. Mecerreyes, Adv. Mater. 2025
https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202516894
