A Critical Review on Recycling Composite Waste Using Pyrolysis for Sustainable Development

Abstract

The rising usage of carbon and glass fibers has raised awareness of scrap management options. Every year, tons of composite scrap containing precious carbon and glass fibers accumulate from numerous sectors. It is necessary to recycle them efficiently, without harming the environment. Pyrolysis seems to be a realistic and promising approach, not only for efficient recovery, but also for high-quality fiber production. In this paper, the essential characteristics of the pyrolysis process, their influence on fiber characteristics, and the use of recovered fibers in the creation of a new composite are highlighted. Pyrolysis, like any other recycling process, has several drawbacks, the most problematic of which is the probability of char development on the resultant fiber surface. Due to the char, the mechanical characteristics of the recovered fibers may decrease substantially. Chemically treating and post-heating the fibers both help to reduce char formation, but only to a limited degree. Thus, it was important to identify the material cost reductions that may be achieved using recovered carbon fibers as structural reinforcement, as well as the manufacture of high-value products using recycled carbon fibers on a large scale. Recycled fibers are cheaper than virgin fibers, but they inherently vary from them as well. This has hampered the entry of recycled fiber into the virgin fiber industry. Based on cost and performance, the task of the current study was to modify the material in such a way that virgin fiber was replaced with recycled fiber. In order to successfully modify the recycling process, a regulated optimum temperature and residence duration in post-pyrolysis were advantageous.

Keywords

• recycling
• reinforced composites
• pyrolysis
• CFRC
• GFRC
• carbon fiber