Regeneration of interfacial bonding force of waste carbon fibers by light: Process demonstration and atomic level analysis
Myounghun Kim,
Byeonghwa Goh,
Jungpil Kim,
Kwang-Seok Kim,
Joonmyung Choi
Affiliations
Myounghun Kim
Carbon & Light Materials Application R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, 222 Palbok-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 54853, Republic of Korea
Byeonghwa Goh
Department of Mechanical Design and Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea; Department of Mechanical Engineering, BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
Jungpil Kim
Carbon & Light Materials Application R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, 222 Palbok-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 54853, Republic of Korea
Kwang-Seok Kim
Carbon & Light Materials Application R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, 222 Palbok-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 54853, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author
Joonmyung Choi
Department of Mechanical Design and Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea; Department of Mechanical Engineering, BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author
Summary: Although interest in recycling carbon fibers is rapidly growing, practical applications of recycled carbon fibers (rCFs) are limited owing to their poor wettability and adhesion. Surface modification of CFs was achieved through intense pulsed light (IPL) irradiation, which functionalizes surface of rCFs. Surface energy, chemical composition, morphology, and interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of rCFs before and after IPL irradiation were investigated. The rCF IPL-irradiated at 1,200 V improved both polar and dispersive components of surface energy, and the IFSS significantly increased by 2.93 times in relation to that of the pristine rCF and reached 95% of that of high-grade commercial CFs. We proposed a mechanism by which oxygen functional groups on the rCF surface enhance the molecular bonding force with HDPE, and the model was validated from molecular dynamics simulations. IPL irradiation is a rapid and effective surface treatment method that can be employed for the manufacture of rCF-reinforced composites.
