Epoxy Monomer Research Articles

Novel low-shrinkage dental resin containing microcapsules with antibacterial and self-healing properties

Dental resin restorations commonly fail because of fractures and secondary caries. The aim of this research was to synthesize a novel low-shrinkage dental resin with antibacterial and self-healing properties. The low-shrinkage dental resin was obtained by incorporating a 20 wt% anti-shrinkage mixture of an expanding monomer 3,9-diethyl-3,9-dimethylol −1,5,7,11-tetraoxaspiro[5,5] undecane and an epoxy resin monomer diallyl bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (1:1, referred as “UE”) and different mass fractions of self-healing antibacterial microcapsules (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%) were incorporated into the matrix to prepare multifunctional dental resin. Polymerization shrinkage, mechanical properties, antibacterial activity, self-healing ability, and cytotoxicity of this dental resin were evaluated. The polymerization volumetric shrinkage of resin containing 20 wt% UE and 7.5 wt% microcapsules was reduced by 30.12% (4.13% ± 0.42%) compared with control. Furthermore, it exhibited high antibacterial activity and a good self-healing efficiency of 71% without adversely affecting the mechanical property and cell viability. This novel multifunctional dental resin with low polymerization shrinkage and excellent antibacterial activity and self-healing capability has potential application as a dental resin material to decrease the incidence of fractures and secondary caries.

A Comparative Study on the Properties of Rosin-Based Epoxy Resins with Different Flexible Chains

This study aims to reveal the effects of flexible chain lengths on rosin-based epoxy resin’s properties. Two rosin-based epoxy monomers with varying chain lengths were synthesized: AR-EGDE (derived from ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether-modified acrylic acid rosin) and ARE (derived from acrylic acid rosin and epichlorohydrin). Diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetramine (TETA), and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) with different flexible chain lengths were used as curing agents. The adhesion, impact, pencil hardness, flexibility, water and heat resistance, and weatherability of the epoxy resins were systematically examined. It was found that when the flexible chains of rosin-based epoxy monomers were grown from ARE to AR-EGDE, due to the increased space of rosin-based fused rings, the toughness, adhesion, and water resistance of the rosin-based epoxy resins were enhanced, while the pencil hardness and heat resistance decreased. However, when the flexible chains of curing agents were lengthened, the resin’s performance did not change significantly because the space between the fused rings changed little. This indicates that the properties of the rosin-based resins can only be altered when the introduced flexible chain increases the space between the fused rings. The study also compared rosin-based resins to E20, a commercial petroleum-based epoxy of the bisphenol A type. The rosin-based resins demonstrated superior adhesion, water resistance, and weatherability compared to the E20 resins, indicating the remarkable durability of the rosin-based resin.

Preparation of Chiral Epoxy Resins and the Optically Active Cured Products

Chirality is one of the most common and significant phenomenon in nature, and epoxy resin is one of the most widely used and researched thermosetting resins, however the influences of chiral carbon in epoxy group on the performances of the cured epoxy resins have ever been hardly studied, therefore it is crucial and meaningful to explore the structure–function relationship of chirality and performance of epoxy resins. Herein, from the analysis of synthesis mechanism, the different chiral configuration with high percent enantiomeric excess (>99%) and racemic bisphenol A epoxy resins were simply prepared by controlling the chirality of epichlorohydrin. The apparent activation energy of the curing process with D230 was calculated by Kissinger method and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method, respectively, and both results indicate that chirality have no effect on the curing reaction. We found that the secondary structure of epoxy monomer is untouched by its chirality, and they are all right helix structure. For this reason, the thermal stability, glass transition temperature, and thermomechanical properties of diverse chiral epoxy resins cured by D230 have no significant difference. Nevertheless, it was found that the optical rotation activity of chiral epoxy resins can be partially maintained after curing reaction, it manifests the cured products of chiral epoxy resins possesses the possibility of application in the field of polarized materials.

Dynamic Cross-Linked Polyethylene Networks with High Energy Storage and Electrical Damage Self-Healability.

Dielectric polymers that exhibit high energy density Ue, low dielectric loss, and thermal resistance are ideal materials for next-generation electrical equipment. The most widely utilized approach to improving Ue involves augmenting the polarization through increasing the dielectric constant εr or the breakdown strength Eb. However, as a conflicting parameter, the dielectric loss also increases inevitably at the same time. In addition, due to the long-term work under a strong electric field or high potential, dielectric materials often produce electrical damage (electrical tree), which is one of the main factors affecting the reliability and service life of electrical equipment. To address these problems, we herein develop dynamic cross-linked polyethylene materials (PE-MA-Epo) by polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-MA) and polar epoxy monomers, which showed high εr (>7), low dielectric loss (<0.02), high Ue (5.16 J/cm3 at 425 MV/m), and outstanding discharge efficiency (97%). The performances of the materials are adequate to rival biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films. Moreover, the excellent self-healing capability of PE-MA-Epo enables the total recovery of εr and tan δ after electrical tree healing. After two cycles of electrical breakdown healing, Eb remained at 80%, which improves the durability and reliability of dielectric polymers. Therefore, PE-MA-Epo shows great potential for applications in advanced electronic power devices.

Structural design strategy of biobased propargyl ether-functionalized epoxy monomer to access low viscosity resin with excellent heat resistance and mechanical properties for advanced composite via VARTM

High performance biobased epoxy resin with low viscosity is important for preparing fiber-reinforced polymer composites via vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM). Herein, a novel biobased propargyl ether-functionalized epoxy monomer (BPBO) with low viscosity (0.07 Pa·s) was designed and synthesized from renewable eugenol, and then it was combined with methyl nadic anhydride (MNA) to produce a new epoxy system (BPBO/MNA) with excellent properties. The curing behaviors and integrated performances were systematically researched and compared with those of petrochemical-based commercial diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) type epoxy resin (DGEBA/MNA). BPBO/MNA shows better thermal and mechanical properties than DGEBA/MNA. Specifically, the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the flexural strength of BPBO/MNA resin are as high as 242 °C and 176.2 MPa, about 47 °C and 16.8 % higher than those of DGEBA/MNA resin, respectively, and both of them are the highest among those of eugenol-derived epoxy resins reported so far. The nature behind these outstanding integrated performances is attributed to the unique cross-linked structure of BPBO/MNA that originated from the ring opening polymerization of epoxy with anhydride and the polymerization of aryl propargyl ether groups. Moreover, carbon fiber reinforced composite with attractive performance was developed by taking BPBO/MNA as the resin matrix via VARTM process. This work presents a simple and unique strategy to prepare high performance biobased epoxy resin with low viscosity for advanced composites.

Thermally initiated cationic frontal polymerization of epoxies and vinyl ethers through a lone onium salt

AbstractFrontal polymerization (FP) of epoxy monomers is typically achieved with a radical‐induced cationic frontal polymerization (RICFP) process that combines a thermal radical initiator with an onium salt superacid generator. In this paper, we show that both thermal and UV‐initiated cationic frontal polymerizations are possible for common epoxy and vinyl ether monomers with only an iodonium superacid generator in the absence of a standalone thermal radical initiator. Increasing superacid generator concentration resulted in an increase in front velocity, as did the addition of vinyl ether to epoxies. The front velocity is reduced by the addition of 4‐methoxyphenol (MeHQ), indicating free‐radicals play a significant role.

Long-chain amino acids and hydrogen bonding enhanced epoxy thermosets: High latency, thermal and mechanical properties, and its application in recyclable carbon fiber composites

Thermoset carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are widely used and in increasing demand in composites industries. Among them, CFRP with one-component epoxy matrix can optimize the preparation process. However, high-value carbon fiber (CF) is difficult to recover and no cases of latent CFRP with CF recyclability have been reported. In this study, long aliphatic chains were innovatively introduced into amino acid type latent curing agents to improve the latent performance and the solubility in organic solvents. The latent performance of curing agents improved with the increase of chain length due to the difficulty in proton transfer of ammonium ions along to the long chain. The latent curing agent derived from 1,10-diaminodecane exhibited good solubility in ethanol and good compatibility with epoxy monomers, making it had the potential for industrial use in the preparation of CFRP. Moreover, amide bonds in the synthetic amino acid were prone to form hydrogen bonds to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of cured resin, while ester bonds in the amino acids imparted the resin with degradability in alkaline environments, thereby endowing CFRP with CF recyclability without damaging surface morphology and chemical structure. This work will open a door for the recycling research of latent CFRP.

Quality of fresh and cryopreserved bovine sperm is reduced by BPA and BPF exposure.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupting compound, used as the key monomer of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. BPA has been detected in both humans and farm animals and has been correlated with decreased sperm counts and motility. BPS and BPF are structural analogs of BPA and are increasingly being used in manufacturing as BPA substitutes. In this study we aim to assess the direct outcomes of BPA, BPS and BPF exposure on bovine sperm parameters in vitro to elucidate how they affect sperm quality and fertilization potential, and to assess whether BPS and/or BPF are less harmful than BPA. Sperm from three or more bulls was obtained from either fresh samples or cryopreserved straws and exposed to 0.05 mg/mL of BPA, BPS and BPF in vitro. After 4h incubation, motility, capacitation, apoptosis/necrosis, and mitochondrial membrane potential levels were measured by CASA or computational flow cytometry. Results showed that BPA exposure significantly reduced both fresh and cryopreserved sperm motility, capacitation, viability and mitochondrial membrane potential levels. Furthermore, BPF significantly decreased motility, capacitation and mitochondrial membrane potential in cryopreserved sperm only. BPS did not have any significant effects on any of the parameters measured. Our results suggest that BPA is the most harmful to sperm, while BPF is toxic under certain conditions, and BPS seems to be the least detrimental. Overall, this study provides an understanding of how the ubiquitous environmental chemicals, bisphenols, may impact male fertility even after ejaculation.

Enhanced Viscosity Control in Thermosets Derived from Epoxy and Acrylate Monomers Based on Thermoreversible Aza-Michael Chemistry

Enhanced Viscosity Control in Thermosets Derived from Epoxy and Acrylate Monomers Based on Thermoreversible Aza-Michael Chemistry

Forming a Homeotropic SmA Structure of Liquid Crystalline Epoxy Resin on an Amine-Modified Surface.

The molecular orientation of a liquid crystalline (LC) epoxy resin (LCER) on silane coupling surfaces of amorphous soda-lime-silica glass substrates was investigated. The LC epoxy monomer on the silane coupling surfaces of the substrates was revealed to form a smectic A (SmA) phase with planar alignments because of the relatively low surface free energy. An LCER with a curing agent, however, formed a homeotropically aligned SmA structure by curing on a substrate surface modified using a silane coupling agent with amino groups. This formation of homeotropic alignment was considered due to the attribution of the reaction between the amino group on the surface of the substrate and the epoxy group of the LCER. The homeotropic alignment had a relatively high orientation parameter of 0.95. Therefore, it is expected to possess high thermal conductivity and be applied as high-thermal-conductivity adhesives or packaging materials for electrical and electronic devices.

Development of a generic approach for monitoring leachable compounds in hospital pharmacy-prepared prefilled plastic packaging by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry with postcolumn infusion

Prefilled plastic packaging is time- and cost-effective in hospital pharmacy because it prevents waste, preparation errors, dosage errors, microbial contamination and accidents. This packaging mostly includes prefilled syringes (PFS), intravenous (IV) bags and vials intended for long-term storage that can be used for immediate treatment. There is a rising availability in the market for prefilled drug products due to their practical approach. Leachable compounds could be evaluated in hospital pharmacy-prepared prefilled drug solutions. The Pharmacy Department at the Lausanne University Hospital has developed an innovative, highly sensitive, and generic method by postcolumn infusion based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) for the analysis of plastic additives in hospital pharmacies. The postcolumn infusion solution was developed with 2% ammonium hydroxide in methanol on a representative set of 30 candidate compounds with different physical-chemical properties, such as log P and molecular structure, to represent the most important categories of additives. The LODs obtained for all compounds ranged from 0.03 to 7.91 ng/mL with linearity up to 250 ng/mL. Through this screening method, plastic additives can be rapidly identified due to the combined use of retention time, exact mass (including isotopic pattern) and MS/MS spectra. In addition, the users can screen for vast categories of plastic additives, including plasticizers, epoxy monomers, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, and others. The screening is facilitated by assessments of a complex in-house-built database for extractable and leachable trace assessment (DELTA), containing 205 compounds for unambiguous identification. Relative response factors were established for all analytes to obtain a semiquantitation of compounds. Moreover, the database also contains valuable estimative toxicology information, which was obtained through calculating their permissible dose exposure threshold; thus, estimative toxicology assessment can be performed for identified compounds in prefilled drug products. This method and the database were applied to a hospital pharmacy-prepared prefilled vancomycin syringe for paediatric use. Ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (UA-DLLME) was used to prepare the samples for leachable analysis. As a result, 17 plastic additives were formally identified, and their concentrations were estimated. A toxicology assessment was performed by comparing their concentrations with their theoretical PDE thresholds. In conclusion, the prefilled drug solution released a negligible amount of known leachables that appeared to be safe for use in neonates and children.

Low dielectric constant and high thermal stability of liquid crystal epoxy polymers based on functionalized poly(phenylene oxide)

Epoxy resins exhibit poor thermal and dielectric properties because of the disordered entanglement of the chain segments and a large number of hydroxyl groups generated after curing by diamine curing agents. Herein, to prepare high-Tg and low-dielectric epoxy thermosets, two functionalized poly(phenylene oxide) (PPOs) were synthesized by redistribution and esterification reactions and used as curing agents to cure liquid crystal epoxy (t-BPDGE). The modified PPOs (TMPA and TMBPA) contain six active ester functional groups, which not only improved the compatibility and the degree of cross-linking of the PPOs with the epoxy monomers but also avoided the generation of hydroxyl groups after curing. The curing mechanism was investigated using TBB cured glycidyl phenyl ether as a model reaction, and the effects of TMPA and TMBPA on the curing behavior and performances were also studied. Due to the ordered arrangement of the liquid crystal epoxy resins and the presence of PPOs, the overall performances of PPOs-based/t-BPDGE are significantly improved. Specifically, the results showed that TMPA/t-BPDGE possessed a high glass transition temperature (Tg) of 199.47 °C and a char rate of 21.84%, which was 77.09 °C and 3.63 times higher than that of the DDM/t-BPDGE, respectively. Moreover, TMPA/t-BPDGE exhibited a lower moisture absorption (0.23%), dielectric constant and loss (2.94 and 0.00815 at 1 GHz) compared to the DDM/t-BPDGE (0.48%, 3.95 and 0.01898, respectively). The findings provide a new design strategy for preparing high-Tg and low-dielectric epoxy thermosets.

Photoactivable alizarin and eugenol-based materials for antibacterial applications

We report herein the design of a new visible-light epoxy-based alizarin photosensitizer (AE) of iodonium salt (Iod) for the cationic polymerization (CP) of epoxidized eugenol monomers under visible-light irradiation. The combination of AE and Iod demonstrates highly efficient photoinitiating properties under air. As highlighted by fluorescence, laser flash photolysis (LFP) and electron paramagnetic resonance spin-trapping (ESR ST) experiments, AE acts as an electron donating molecule, and reacts with Iod under light exposure through its excited singlet and triplet states via a photoinduced electron transfer reaction, producing thus protonic acids, H+, able to initiate CP. Also, we demonstrate by EPR ST that the addition of diepoxy eugenol monomer may lead to the formation of reactive radical species which may be oxidized by Iod to form cationic species. Thus, new bio-based and photoactivable materials were designed by cationic photopolymerization with the use of alizarin-based photosensitizer and eugenol derived monomers. By tuning the weight proportion of eugenol derived epoxy monomers (mono- (EE) and di-epoxidized (EdE) eugenol), we can modulate the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting materials. The new AE-based materials have demonstrated two interesting properties: first, the presence of EE in the polymer network has considerably decreased the number of colony forming units (CFUs) at the surface of materials whatever the bacterial strains used, and these samples demonstrate photoactivable properties as they produce, under visible-light irradiation, singlet oxygen, a biocide agent against bacteria. Interestingly, the irradiation of the AE/Iod/EE(50)/EdE(50) materials lead to a tremendous decrease of the number of E. coli and S. aureus CFUs at their surface. A reduction by 100% of the bacterial adhesion is observed upon visible-light exposure.

Toward understanding the cross‐linking from molecular chains to aggregates by engineering terminals of supramolecular hyperbranched polysiloxane

AbstractCrosslinking thermosets with hyperbranched polymers confers them superior comprehensive performance. However, it still remains a further understanding of polymer crosslinking from the molecular chains to the role of aggregates. In this study, three hyperbranched polysiloxane structures (HBPSi‐R) are synthesized as model macromolecules, each featuring distinct terminal groups (R denotes amino, epoxy, and vinyl groups) while similar molecular backbone (Si‐O‐C). These structures were subsequently copolymerized with epoxy monomers to construct interpenetrating HBPSi‐R/epoxy/anhydride co‐polymer systems. The spatial molecular configuration and flexible Si‐O‐C branches of HBPSi‐R endow them with remarkable reinforcement and toughening effects. Notably, an optimum impact strength of 28.9 kJ mol−1 is achieved with a mere 3% loading of HBPSi‐V, nearly three times that of the native epoxy (12.9 kJ mol−1). By contrasting the terminal effects, the aggregation states and crosslinking modes were proposed, thus clarifying the supramolecular‐dominant aggregation mechanism and covalent‐dominant dispersion mechanism, which influences the resulting material properties. This work underscores the significance of aggregate science in comprehending polymer crosslinking and provides theoretical insights for tailoring material properties at a refined molecular level in the field of polymer science.

Intrinsic antibacterial thermosets resin from eugenol and soybean oil: Synthesis and properties

The use of solvent-free approach to manufacture antibacterial epoxy coatings with high renewable carbon content is of important for environmental sustainability and the diversity of antibacterial materials. Herein, an epoxy monomer with inherent antibacterial properties, eugenol-modified epoxidized soybean oil (EUESO) with totally natural carbon was synthesized from renewable epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and eugenol via one-step solvent-free method. Then, EUESO was cured with DGEBA and 4, 4′-diaminodicyclohexylmethane (HDDM) to construct mechanically robust and anti-release antibacterial epoxy coatings. The influence of the weight ratio of EUESO on epoxy coating and comprehensive performance was systematically studied. According to DSC, TGA and bending test on the thermal and mechanical properties of the cured resins, all cured resins demonstrated high thermodynamic properties and high Tg. Meanwhile, in the dynamic shake test, all cured resins demonstrated a certain degree of killing effect on Escherichia coli (E. coli), with a maximum killing rate of 93.8% as the concentration of EUESO increased.

Fluorescent aggregate structure revealed in bisphenol F epoxy thermoset

Bisphenol F (BPF) epoxy resin is a prepolymer component of thermosets used in construction of reinforced carbon fiber composites (RCFC). The fluorescence of this resin can provide information about chemical and structural alterations of the thermoset from thermal or mechanical damage. While some work has investigated the fluorescence spectra of bisphenol A epoxy resin, a structural analog of BPF, none have studied BPF. The purpose of this study is to investigate the baseline fluorescence spectra of the BPF epoxy resin for features that could be utilized for monitoring damage and structural alterations. Bisphenol F epoxy resin was found to have two emission peaks with a broad peak centered at 410 nm and a sharp peak centered at 550 nm. The broad emission peak was identified as the fluorescence from BPF epoxy monomer while the sharp emission peak was found to be from an aggregate structure present in the epoxy resin. It is hypothesized that this structure is an H-aggregate based on the emission features and structural stability of the aggregate compared to the alternative J-aggregate which was determined via density functional theory calculations. The H-aggregate was found to persist into one of the cured thermoset formulations evaluated but was lost when exposed to elevated temperatures below thermal degradation of the thermoset. This loss of aggregate structure was due to polymer network rearrangement. This new fluorescence signature can be used as an indicator of polymer network rearrangement from thermal exposure which may alter the expected material performance and precede thermal degradation.

Tuning the static and dynamic properties of epoxy vitrimers through modulation of cross-link density

Vitrimers, a polymer class that combines the benefits of thermosetting plastics and thermoplastics, have extensive potential applications in our daily lives and industry. Effectively controlling the dynamic properties of vitrimer materials has received considerable attention. This research prepared a series of dynamic epoxy crosslinking network with varying crosslinking densities by introducing reactive monofunctional small-molecule epoxy monomers through a transesterification reaction. Stress relaxation behavior confirmed the impact of small molecular epoxy on the rearrangement of the transesterification topological network. The findings indicated that decreasing the crosslinking density of the resin resulted in shorter stress relaxation time. Adding small molecular epoxy from 0% to 5% increased the tensile strength of the material from 13.2 MPa to 18.1 MPa. The findings demonstrate that it is efficient to adjust the dynamic properties of glass-like polymers by changing the cross-linking density. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of glass-like polymers can be enhanced by appropriately reducing the cross-linking density, which offers a new method for preparing vitrimer materials with desirable properties.

Cardanol-based epoxy vitrimer/carbon fiber composites with integrated mechanical, self-healing, reprocessable, and welding properties and degradability

Thermosetting plastics cannot be reprocessed and recycled due to their permanent and strong covalent cross-linking bonds, and their use could result in serious environmental pollution and resource wastage. An effective strategy to solve the pollution of waste thermosetting plastics is the development of vitrimer materials with integrated mechanical, self-healing, reprocessable, and welding properties and degradability. Herein, two kinds of epoxy vitrimers were prepared using 100% biobased epoxy monomers by introducing dynamic ester bonds through highly efficient esterification and epoxy reactions. The relationship between dynamic ester bonds and the properties of these epoxy vitrimers were systematically explored. Thermal and mechanical properties, chemical degradability, hydrophobicity, dynamic stress relaxation, self-repair ability, shape memory behavior, and weldability were evaluated. The cardanol-based vitrimers had a high glass transition temperature (76.8 °C) and gel content (98.5%) and underwent dynamic transesterification to exhibit programmable self-healing ability, shape memory behavior, and recyclability. The vitrimers were then employed to fabricate carbon fiber composites with high mechanical strength, rapid chemical degradation, and shape memory properties. The products and mechanism of the chemical degradation of the composite were verified by FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. This work provides guidance for large-scale industrial preparation and practical application of high-performance biobased vitrimer materials and their carbon fiber composites.

Atomistic to Mesoscopic Modelling of Thermophysical Properties of Graphene-Reinforced Epoxy Nanocomposites.

This research addresses the need for a multiscale model for the determination of the thermophysical properties of nanofiller-enhanced thermoset polymer composites. Specifically, we analyzed the thermophysical properties of an epoxy resin containing bisphenol-A diglyceryl ether (DGEBA) as an epoxy monomer and dicyandiamide (DICY) and diethylene triamine (DETA) as cross-linking agents. The cross-linking process occurs at the atomistic scale through the formation of bonds among the reactive particles within the epoxy and hardener molecules. To derive the interatomic coarse-grained potential for the mesoscopic model and match the density of the material studied through atomic simulations, we employed the iterative Boltzmann inversion method. The newly developed coarse-grained molecular dynamics model effectively reproduces various thermophysical properties of the DGEBA-DICY-DETA resin system. Furthermore, we simulated nanocomposites made of the considered epoxy additivated with graphene nanofillers at the mesoscopic level and verified them against continuum approaches. Our results demonstrate that a moderate amount of nanofillers (up to 2 wt.%) increases the elastic modulus and thermal conductivity of the epoxy resin while decreasing the Poisson's ratio. For the first time, we present a coarse-grained model of DGEBA-DICY-DETA/graphene materials, which can facilitate the design and development of composites with tunable thermophysical properties for a potentially wide range of applications, e.g., automotive, aerospace, biomedical, or energy ones.

Chemical Recycling of Fully Recyclable Bio-Epoxy Matrices and Reuse Strategies: A Cradle-to-Cradle Approach

Currently, the epoxy resin market is expressing concerns about epoxy resins’ non-recyclability, which can hinder their widespread use. Moreover, epoxy monomers are synthesized via petroleum-based raw materials, which also limits their use. So, it is crucial to find more environmentally friendly alternative solution for their formulation. Within this context, the aim of this paper is to exploit a Cradle-to-Cradle approach, which consists of remodeling and reshaping the productive cycle of consumer products to make sure that they can be infinitely reused rather than just being recycled with a downgrading of their properties or uses, according to the principle of the complete circular economy. Indeed, after starting with a fully-recyclable bio-based epoxy formulation and assessing its recyclability as having a process yield of 99%, we obtained a recycled polymer that could be reused, mixing with the same bio-based epoxy formulation with percentages varying from 15 wt% to 27 wt%. The formulation obtained was thoroughly characterized by a dynamic-mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and flexural tests. This approach had two advantages: (1) it represented a sustainable disposal route for the epoxy resin, with nearly all the epoxy resin recovered, and (2) the obtained recycled polymer could be used as a green component of the primary bio-based epoxy matrix. In the end, by using replicated general factorial designs (as statistical tools) combined with a proper optimization process, after carrying out a complete thermo-mechanical characterization of the developed epoxy formulations, the right percentage of recycled polymer content was selected with the aim of identifying the most performing epoxy matrix formulation in terms of its thermo-mechanical properties.