Hempoxies: A Bio-Derived Structural Vitrimer Platform Based on Epoxidized Hemp Seed Oil (EHSO), Citric Acid, Zinc Acetate, and Furfuryl Glycidyl Ether (FGE) Reinforced with PAN-CF and Hierarchical Hemp-Derived Carbon Morphologies

The environmental and economic liabilities of petroleum-derived thermosets have created an urgent need for high-performance, circular structural materials. We present the Hempoxies Platform (v.17.2), a fully bio-derived structural vitrimer system utilizing epoxidized hemp seed oil (EHSO) as the matrix backbone, citric acid as the polycarboxylic cross-linker, and zinc acetate as the transesterification catalyst. A fixed-datum stoichiometry of 1:0.8 epoxy:carboxyl ratio with 1 wt% Zn(OAc)2 and 8.9 wt% furfuryl glycidyl ether (FGE) reactive diluent yields a Covalent Adaptable Network (CAN) capable of associative bond exchange above the topology freezing temperature (Tv ≈150–160◦C). The platform supports hierarchical reinforcement through Polyacrylonitrile-based Carbon Fiber (PAN-CF), graphene, MXenes, and a diverse suite of hemp-derived carbon morphologies. With projected tensile strengths exceeding 180 MPa and densities of 1.12–1.18 g/cm3, Hempoxies enable heat-repair, reshaping, and infinite solid-state recycling via zinc-catalyzed transesterification, achieving net-negative carbon status through 100% bio-derived feedstocks.

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