RECYCLING OF CARBON FIBER COMPOSITES: STATE OF ART AND INCOMING APPLICATIONS
Sérgio Luiz Nascimento Junior1; Maurício Vicente Donadon2
1 Insituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica; 2 Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica
doi:10.20906/CPS/COB-2015-0913
Resumo
The use of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRPs) from many industries (sports, automotive, shipbuilding and especially aerospace) is increasing every year. Low weight and good mechanical properties - strength and stiffness are the main reasons for their application in structures. However, the amount of CFRP waste produced by the industry is increasing as well. Some techniques have been researchedin order to manage this waste - mechanical, chemical and thermal (pyrolysis and fluidized bed) recycling processes. Chemical and thermal processes results inrecycled fibers with better mechanical properties for noble reuse (structural, mainly) compared to other processes. Studies have shown that recycling can reduce the environmental impacts when compared withcommon dispose (landfill and incineration) and even reuse both: the recycledfibers and the matrix. Moreover, some recycling methods can even bring backrecycledfibers with 90% of mechanical properties compared with the virgin fibers, and generate energy from decomposition of the polymeric matrix, making the recycling unit self-sustaining. This paper aims at studying the actual state of art on recycling processes for CFRPs over the world - researches, economical application and environmental assessment.
Palavras-chave: Recycling; Composites; CFRP waste