Preparation of aramid-based epoxy resin from low-grade aramid

Low-grade aramid fibers, an unavoidable by-product in the industrialized process of aramid fiber production, are difficult to utilize and harmful to the environment. In this study, low-grade aramid fibers were recycled to assemble a high-quality epoxy resin through an epoxidation modification. Triggered by the epichlorohydrin, the molecular configuration of the low-grade aramid fibers was altered through crosslinking and chain-extension processes. bisphenol-A epoxy resin (E-51) with 5% aramid-based epoxy resin cured product exhibited improved mechanical and thermal properties, outperforming pure E-51 and pure aramid. This improvement is caused by the increased percentage of epoxide groups and flexible ether bonds. This work opens up new possibilities to maximize the reclamation of low-grade aramid fibers, which currently poses an obstacle in waste recycling.