INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS (ICAA’24), Konya, Türkiye, 6 - 08 Kasım 2024, ss.5-6
This study explores the recycling of end-of-life carbon
fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites, which are widely used in aerospace
due to their lightweight and superior mechanical properties. The study focuses
on the challenges and benefits of pyrolysis recycling, which involves
separating epoxy resin and carbon fibers. The epoxy resin, which accounts for
40% of CFRP, evaporates into liquid and gas phases during pyrolysis, leaving
carbon fibers and char attached to the carbon fiber surface. The yield of
solid, liquid, and gaseous products depends on pyrolysis parameters such as
temperature, residence time, and heating rate. High temperature increases the
pyrolysis gas yield, with most of the gas being valuable H2.
However, high temperature and residence time can adversely affect the
mechanical properties of carbon fibers, making it crucial to determine the
optimum temperature and residence time. The char formed on the carbon fibers'
surface can be removed through oxidation, improving the tensile strength and
modulus of the recovered carbon fibers. This allows for the production of
high-value gas with high H2 content and recovered carbon fibers with
high tensile strength and modulus for waste CFRP.