Development of a method for recycling factory waste carbon fiber prepregs and increasing the added value of the collected material

Abstract

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are widely used in the aerospace, automotive, and construction industries. CFRP prepregs (intermediate products) are generally used in CFRP production, with a large number of prepreg cut‐offs being discarded during cutting processes. There is strong demand for a method for recycling carbon fiber prepreg cut‐offs. This paper proposes a method for recycling such material, which is characterized by low cost and high added value, in order to foster the development of a recycling‐oriented society. We prepare carbon tapes (CTs) by cutting discarded cut‐offs according to their size so as to maximize fiber length. Using a simple water CT dispersion method, we fabricate uniform CT sheets and mold a recycled CT‐reinforced composite (R‐CT‐RC). Sample prototyping and mechanical characteristic testing indicate that this R‐CT‐RC is characterized by low recycling cost and desirable mechanical properties. Recycled CT‐reinforced composite with thermoplastic (R‐CT‐RC/TP), which is prepared by adding thermoplastic resin between CTs, can be re‐molded and therefore readily re‐recycled.

Novel epoxy/cyclic olefin copolymer/carbon structural composites with electro‐activated self‐healing properties

“…The current passing through the samples was recorded at a voltage ranging from 0.5 V to 180 V. At least five specimens were tested for each composition. In this way, the volume resistivity (ρ v ) and the surface resistivity (ρ s ) of the samples were determined by using Equations (10) and (11), respectively:…”

“…Furthermore, the recycling operations of PMCs are complex. 10 For these reasons, among the scientific communities and the industrial world, a steadily increasing interest in a new generation of multifunctional composites possessing selfhealing properties. 11,12 The use of self-healing composites could lead to several advantages, i.e., minimization of costs correlated to maintenance and repair operations, prolonged service life, and thus improved environmental sustainability, and decrease in the probability of uncontrolled failure 13 .…”

“…Repairing operations are usually labor‐intensive, expensive, time‐consuming, and with little to no effectiveness. Furthermore, the recycling operations of PMCs are complex 10 . For these reasons, among the scientific communities and the industrial world, a steadily increasing interest in a new generation of multifunctional composites possessing self‐healing properties 11,12 .…”

Modeling of contact mechanics and defects investigation in automated fiber placement

“…The wide application of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) in aerospace, shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing, military industry, and other fields promotes the rapid development of automated laying technologies 1–6 . Currently, automated manufacturing techniques for composite components predominantly encompass Filament Winding (FW), Automated Tape Laying (ATL), and Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) 7–9 .…”

Fabrication of continuous carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene composites by injection compression molding with self‐resistance electric heating

“…In the aerospace and automobile industry, light materials such as carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics are increasingly adopted to replace the traditional steel parts, [1][2][3][4] because of their excellent corrosion resistance, [5] high specific strength, [6] and high toughness [7,8] in addition to recyclability. [9,10] In order to fabricate short fiber reinforced thermoplastics (SFRT), injection molding process has usually been utilized, with the advantage of low cost and rapid fabrication of complex structural parts. [11][12][13][14] However, the mechanical properties of SFRT are inferior.…”