Physico-Chemical Characterization of Novel Epoxy Matrix System Reinforced with Recycled Short Milled Carbon Fibre

As received recycled short milled carbon fiber (SMCF) reinforced diglycidal ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) epoxy matrix materials have been developed by ultra-sonication mixing of SMCF in epoxy then curing at room temperature for nine days. The SMCF with mean diameter 7.5 μm, and length 100 - 300 μm, was used at different loadings i.e. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 wt%. Elemental analysis, surface chemistry and crystallography of SMCF were examined using X-ray fluorescence, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Fourier Transform IR spectroscopy confirmed that both in unmodified and SMCF-modified epoxies, 99% curing was achieved. Surface microhardness study showed a slight increase with 5% and 10% SMCF addition. Raman study confirms no structural change in SMCF after incorporation in epoxy. Also, a numerical modelling is implemented to correlate the density of the modified epoxy and SMCF volume fraction/distribution uniformity.