Preparation of Epoxy Vitrimer Potting Materials Based on Dynamic Disulfide Bonds: Recyclability, Hydrophobicity, Temperature Shock Resistance, and Shape Memory

Abstract

Epoxy resin, as a widely utilized insulating material in the field of electronic device encapsulation, faces challenges in achieving nondestructive disassembly of end-of-life devices and material recycling due to its three-dimensional cross-linked network structure, despite providing excellent mechanical properties. Additionally, it lacks autonomous repair capabilities when subjected to mechanical damage. To address these critical industry challenges, this study introduces dynamic disulfide bonds into the epoxy potting system, designing an epoxy vitrimer material with topologically reconfigurable network capabilities. This approach offers a viable solution for advancing the sustainable development of electronic encapsulation materials. The experiment employed an epoxy monomer containing dynamic disulfide bonds and a trifunctional thiol curing agent to prepare epoxy vitrimer potting insulation materials via a one-pot thiol-epoxy click reaction. The synthesized vitrimer demonstrates outstanding thermal stability (T _d = 318°C), electrical breakdown strength (E _b = 27.09 kV/mm), rapid stress relaxation behavior (τ = 39 s), and superior hydrophobicity (contact angle = 118°). Furthermore, the encapsulated electronic components function normally, while the material's dynamic properties enable nondestructive recycling of components, autonomous repair of mechanical damage, and shape memory characteristics. The material maintains robust stability even after multiple high-low temperature cycles.