Work

Bio‐Based Fluorescent Epoxies: Emission Control through Molecular Packing and Phase Separation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study demonstrates the sustainable conversion of agricultural waste into high‐performance fluorescent epoxy resins through direct blending of coumaric acid epoxy (CE) and ferulic acid epoxy (FE) derived from corn stover. These bio‐based resins exhibit tunable photoluminescence, with emission maxima shifting from 299 nm to 841 nm as FE content increases from 0 to 33 wt%. In contrast, blends based on commercial bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) reach emission saturation around 550 nm and exhibit phase separation at higher FE concentrations, as confirmed by light microscopy. The synthesized CE–FE blends achieve superior or comparable thermomechanical properties, including flexural moduli (3.2–3.4 GPa), glass transition temperatures, and storage moduli, relative to commercial BADGE‐based resins. Impact toughness is consistent across all blends except for BADGE containing 33 wt% FE, which decreases significantly from 63 J m −1 (neat BADGE) to 12 J m −1 due to phase separation. Enhanced fluorescence intensity in CE‐rich blends is attributed to their compact aromatic structures, limiting free volume and nonradiative decay. Unlike existing fluorescent epoxy systems requiring complex synthesis or additives, this straightforward blending approach provides a sustainable, high‐performance alternative ideal for practical integration into biorefineries, with promising applications in optical sensors, bioimaging materials, and smart coatings.

Source: ChemSusChem

DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202501666