탄소섬유 강화 에폭시 복합소재로부터 탄소섬유 회수

Abstract

Recently, the amount of thermosetting plastic wastes has increased with the production of reinforced plastic composites and causes serious environmental problems. The epoxy resins, one of the versatile thermosetting plastics with excellent properties, cannot be melted down and remolded as what is done in the thermoplastic industry. In this research, a series of experiments that decompose epoxy resin and recover carbon fibers from carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites was performed. We experimentally examined decomposition process using nitric acid aqueous solution and compared their decomposition efficiencies and mechanical property of recovered carbon fibers at different operating parameters. For the prevention of tangle of recovered carbon fibers, each composites specimen was fixed with a teflon supporter and no mechanical mixing was applied. The recycling system is composed of hexahedral circulating flow reactor made of quartz, Teflon supporter, acid resistance pump and auxiliaries. Epoxy matrix in the composite was effectively decomposed by nitric acid aqueous solution in the circulating flow reactor and carbon fiber could be recycled without any tangle or disturbance. Optimum conditions for the recycling process have been experimentally established. Decomposition products were analyzed by scanning electron microscope, gas chromatography mass spectrometer , and universal testing machine. Carbon fibers could be completely recovered from decomposition process using nitric acid aqueous solution. The tensile strength losses of the recovered carbon fibers were less than 4%.