Adhesives Made from Sulfur Copolymer Composites Reinforced with Recycled Carbon Fiber

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the exploration and development of adhesive properties of a sulfur-based copolymer made from sulfur and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and its composite reinforced with recycled carbon fiber (rCF). The work presented demonstrated the assessment of sulfur-dicyclopentadiene (50-poly(S-r-DCPD)) and the use of recycled carbon fiber as an adhesive system for metallic and nonmetallic adherends. Through the incorporation of rCF, polymer retention was improved exponentially allowing for tailorable amounts of polymer incorporation. Additionally, exploring the use of surface preparation and a range of polymer application methods, improvements of up to 66 and 122% to the adhesive strength were obtained for stainless-steel and aluminum substrates, respectively. Most notably, optimization of the curing process was assessed and a significant 19 h reduction in cure time was established.