Regenerative Thermoset Polymers and Composites Symposium - ACS Fall 2026 Meeting

Manufacturing of thermosetting polymers and polymer-based composites with realistic end-of-life strategies presents one of the most significant scientific and societal challenges for this century. Thermoset polymers and composites possess the necessary chemical and mechanical properties critical for achieving lightweight, durable structures in the energy (wind turbine blades), aerospace (aircraft and drones), and transportation industries (electric vehicles and trains), but the vast energy input required for initial manufacture (Gigajules), long cure times to develop desired structural properties (hrs) and lack of end-of-life strategies render these materials unsustainable. Given increasing environmental concerns surrounding both the production and disposal of thermoset polymers, transformative strategies are required for sustainable low-energy manufacturing and end-of-life management.  The most critical knowledge gaps hindering the rapid development of much needed regenerative thermosetting polymers include a lack of fundamental understanding of how the chemical modifications necessary for programmed end-of-life strategies impact the ability to efficiently cure, manufacture, deconstruct and/or regenerate over many life cycles while maintaining properties and performance and how network structure and crosslinking evolves with each regeneration.  This symposium provides an opportunity to share and learn the most recent advances in chemical recycling and regeneration of thermoset polymers and composites.  Topics of interest include design and discovery of cleavable comonomers, cleavable crosslinkers, and covalent adaptable / dynamic networks, catalytic deconstruction, synthesis, characterization of properties over multiple cycles, topology evolution, recovery of reinforcing phases, and regenerative manufacturing strategies.