Green composites from vanillin-based benzoxazine and silane surface modified chopped carbon fibers

By following the rules of green chemistry, a novel composite is developed from a renewable and ecofriendly resource, namely, vanillin. The latter was used as a phenolic precursor for the microwave synthesis of a bio-based benzoxazine resin (Va-BZ). Afterward, high-performance green composites were developed by reinforcing Va-BZ with various amounts of chopped silane surface modified carbon fibers (CFs). The chemical structure of the Va-BZ monomers was confirmed by 1H NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The grafting of the silane moiety on the CF surface was assessed by FTIR and TGA analyses. The autocatalytic ring opening polymerization of the Va-BZ monomers was confirmed by DSC analysis. The mechanical performances of the developed green composites were studied by flexural and tensile investigations. The findings suggested that the maximum amount of 20 wt. CFs afforded the best results, with flexural and tensile strengths of 450 and 462 MPa, respectively. The SEM was used to study the fractured tensile surfaces and elucidated the toughening mechanism. Meanwhile, the TGA showed that the introduction of the CFs markedly improved the thermal stability of the benzoxazine matrix. Overall, this study confirmed that greener approaches can also result in high-performance composites satisfying the needs of exigent applications.