Investigation on Recycling Technology of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Resin Cured with Amine

Abstract

An approach to chemical recycling of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin cured with amine has been investigated. Amine cured epoxy resin was decomposed totally when it was treated with nitric acid solution under certain conditions. The impacts of nitric acid concentration and decomposition temperature on recycling method were studied with decomposing time and the performance of carbon fiber as indexes. Epoxy resin matrix decomposed entirely after 23hrs at 95°C in the 8mol/L nitric acid solution. Scanning electron microscopy analysis (SEM) and monofilament strength were used to characterize the recycled carbon fibers.