Recycling of PP-based Sandwich Panels with Continuous Fiber Composite Skins

Abstract

In this article, a procedure for recycling of polypropylene (PP)-based sandwich panels is presented. PP/glass laminates as the skins and PP foam as the core material are used. The waste panel is converted into short-fiber composite material. The panel is first ground by a mill and homogenized in a mixer or an extruder, then the pellets are re-ground and injection molded. The influence of mixer parameters and fiber content on the mechanical and physical properties of the recycled material is experimentally investigated. The orientation and length of the glass fibers are measured using an optical microscope; SEM analysis is used to characterize the morphology of injection-molded samples.

Methods to determine surface energies of natural fibres: a review

“…The presence of the reinforcing fibres further complicates their recycling. It is generally assumed that thermoplastic composite recycling is less of a problem [5,6]. It is believed that these materials can be re-melted and reprocessed many times without a significant deterioration of their properties.…”

A preliminary study on bladder‐assisted rotomolding of thermoplastic polymer composites

“…Thermoplastic matrix composites, based on commodity polymers, are also very attractive, owing to their processability, high-impact strength, good chemical resistance, low moisture absorption, unlimited shelf life of raw materials, and low cost. The ability of thermoplastic matrix composites to be recycled is a major advantage over thermosetting matrix composites 4,5 particularly for automotive applications. Moreover, isotactic polypropylene (iPP) is considered one of the most suitable polymers for many industrial applications.…”

Processing, mechanical properties, and interfacial bonding of a thermoplastic core‐foam/composite‐skin sandwich panel

“…The interfacial fracture energy was calculated by means of an experimental compliance method,6,7 where the interfacial fracture energy G C was given by Eq. (6): where P is the applied load, b is the specimen width, c the specimen compliance, and a the crack length.…”

“…Composite sandwich structures consisting of thermoplastic skins and foamed core are finding increasing use in a variety of applications such as mass transit and automotive structures 1–6. In many cases, thermoplastic sandwiches offer many advantages compared to traditional materials, such as steel, aluminum, and thermoset composites, due to their high‐specific strength, good damping capacity, corrosion resistance, superior impact resistance, and ease of shaping and recycling 7. Moreover thermoplastic sandwiches are characterized by other physical properties, such as thermal and acoustic insulating properties, making these structures an attractive alternative to more traditional solutions.…”