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Although carbon fiber recycling is now possible, high-temperature recycling techniques or chemicals are often used for grinding or decomposing, and the latter is difficult to handle safely. In addition, the carbon fiber strands themselves may be damaged in the process, and the polymer resin used to laminate them together cannot be recycled. However, scientists at Washington State University have developed a new process without these drawbacks. The team led by Professor Jinwen Zhang immersed carbon fiber waste in a solution consisting of "weak acid" and liquid ethanol.
When the mixture is heated to 200°C, the ethanol expands the resin. This allows the "weak acid" to enter and destroy the carbon-nitrogen bond. It then decomposes into a liquid, releasing carbon fiber lines for recovery and subsequent reuse. The resin can also be recycled.
Scientists have applied for a patent and are now studying how to implement the commercialization of the technology. Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology are also developing a similar process.
The results of this study were recently published in the magazine Polymer Degradation and Stability.
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