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Recycling of carbon/epoxy composites
Author(s) -
Liu Yuyan,
Meng Linghui,
Huang Yudong,
Du Jianjun
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.20990
Subject(s) - nitric acid , epoxy , carbon fibers , decomposition , materials science , composite material , gel permeation chromatography , solvent , acetic acid , nuclear chemistry , volume (thermodynamics) , chemistry , composite number , organic chemistry , polymer , metallurgy , physics , quantum mechanics
The recycling of carbon fibers from carbon/epoxy composites was attempted with a solvent method in nitric acid solutions. Gel permeation chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry showed that the epoxy resin could entirely decompose into low‐molecular‐weight compounds, and the main components of the dissoluble decomposed compounds were 2,4‐dinitrophenol and 2‐nitro‐4‐carboxylphenol. Electron probe microscopy showed no damage to the recycled carbon fibers. The single‐fiber tension strength loss of the recycled carbon fibers was 1.1% under the following conditions: a decomposition temperature of 90 °C, a nitric acid solution concentration of 8 M , and a ratio of the sample weight to the nitric acid solution volume of 6 g:100 mL. Through orthogonal experimentation, the recycling conditions for the carbon/epoxy composites were examined. The best combination was a decomposition temperature of 90°C, a nitric acid solution concentration of 8 M , and a ratio of the sample weight to the nitric acid solution volume of 4g:100 mL. This method could liquefy raw materials for rocket engine shells reinforced with carbon fibers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 1912–1916, 2004