Recycling concepts for thermoplastic composites
- KEMA Nederland B.V., Arnhem (Netherlands)
- Danish Technological Inst., Taastrup (Denmark)
- Danfoss A/S, Silkeborg (Denmark)
Thermoplastic short fiber composite materials are increasingly being used as insulating materials in electricity distribution. Economically they possess good opportunities for material recycling and reuse due to the high virgin price. To investigate the recycling potential of post-consumer components, PPS40%GF and PBT30%GF, representing commonly used insulating materials, have been artificially aged and recycled. To simulate 10 years of service life, injection molded tensile bars have been aged in different environments varying temperature, humidity and pH. After accelerated aging, the aging state has been characterized by tensile and impact strength, viscoelastic behavior (DMTA), molecular weight, crystallinity (DSC) and fracture behavior (SEM). These properties have been compared to virgin material. The aged materials have been recycled by regranulation and compounds with different ratios virgin/aged material and different coupling agents to repair the glass-matrix interface. Injection molded compounds were characterized by short and long term properties. Recompounding PBT30%GF with virgin material and no added coupling agents results in a partial recovery of the fiber-matrix adhesion. Based on the first short-term characterizations PBT30%GF seems not very suitable for reuse in primary applications. PPS40%GF seems more suitable for reuse in primary applications after recycling. Although the short-term mechanical properties of the aged batches do not recover after recycling, the fiber-matrix adhesion improves especially when adding coupling agents. Further long-term testing in creep and humid environments during the remaining part of this project will show whether the improved interface properties make recycled materials valuable for reuse in various industrial applications.
- OSTI ID:
- 109740
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950521-; ISBN 1-56676-313-4; TRN: IM9543%%41
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ENERCOMP 95: international conference on composite materials and energy, Montreal (Canada), 8-10 May 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of International conference on composite materials and energy: Proceedings. Enercomp 95; PB: 1080 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
MOLDING
RECYCLING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
CARBON FIBERS
THERMOPLASTICS
TENSILE PROPERTIES
IMPACT STRENGTH
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
INTERFACES
CALORIMETRY
THERMAL GRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS
DAMPING
AGING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA