Method of Recovering the Fibrous Fraction of Glass/Epoxy Composites

Abstract

This study reports the method of recovery of glass fibers from glass/epoxy composites through the solvent method. It is possible to decompose epoxy resin with a yield of more than 99 wt% soluble products in a nitric acid solution (8 M) at 90 C for 5 h. The decomposition rate of epoxy resin increases with an increase in temperature and concentration of acid solution. The glass fibers can be recovered with very little contamination and they have a tensile strength reduction of 3.5% under decomposition conditions of T = 70°C, t = 250 h, C = 6 M and α= 6 g/100 mL. These fibers can be used as reinforcement to prepare new composites. The interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of recovered short fiber-reinforced composites produce strength reductions of only 2.5% compared with pristine composites.

Keywords

composites glass fiber epoxy resin recycling

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