Polypropylene Composites Manufactured from Recycled Carbon Fibers from Aeronautic Materials Waste

Carbon fiber composites are used in several industries such as, aerospace, automotive, civil engineering, sports goods and technical applications due to its low-weight, strength and stiffness. However, the technology of recycling of these thermosetting polymer composites remains an engineering challenge because of their cross-linked structures that impede their reprocessing by simple heating. The aim of this work was to study the influence of the amount and dimensions of carbon fibers arising from composite waste into a new composite of polypropylene matrix. In order to carry out the study, the carbon fiber composite waste has been mechanically processed for the production of chopped fibers with two different lengths (4.5 mm and 3.0 mm). Thermoplastic composites made of chopped carbon fiber/ polypropylene at proportions 1%, 5% and 7% in fiber weight content were obtained by extrusion and injection process. Then, a series of laboratory test (mechanical, thermal and morphological) were performed in order to characterize the composite material obtained. The results showed that the fibers were capable of causing a reinforcing, even though the new composite presents a complex phase system with low adhesion between the recycled carbon fibers and the polypropylene matrix.