Evaluation of Methodology for the Carbon Fibre Recycling

This paper evaluates recycling methods applied for carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) materials. Three CFRP laminates are made with four layers of woven carbon fibre (T300) and the epoxy resin (primeTM 20LV) using Resin Infusion Moulding (RIM). One specimen set is used as a baseline, the remaining two specimen sets are fabricated using recovered carbon fibres. The samples of woven quasi-isotropic CFRP laminate have the arrangement of (45°/90°/90°/45°). The RIM method was used to infuse the resin within the fibres for the initial laminate fabrication and also for the re-infusion of the laminate after recycling. Two recycling methods were used in this research, the pyrolysis process and the low-temperature solvolysis process. The samples are tested using a Dynamic Mechanical Analyser (DMA for matrix cure parameters and an Interlaminar Shear Strength (ILSS) and tensile test for mechanical properties. The results have shown that the pyrolysis process usually provides good recycled CFRP (rCFRP) laminate with 72.7% of ILSS in comparison to the reference sample. However, the low-temperature solvolysis is difficult to implement. The resin could not be properly cured after this process due to the residue of Peracetic Acid (PAA) and epoxy on the surface of the laminate. The values of ILSS and tensile strength obtained for the chemically recycled CFRP showed that the properties of the laminate are below that of the baseline laminate sample.