Microwave-Assisted Recycling Process to Recover Fiber from Fiberglass Polyester Composites

Fiberglass/thermoset matrix composite present important properties, such as specific mass and mechanical strength, aiming to replace some engineering materials. However, its mixture of different materials transforms them into an environmental problem, due to the complex recycling process. The highlight is meeting the demands of environmental pressures and for establishing recycling mechanisms, the proposal is to study physical recycling processes, focusing on the microwave-assisted pyrolysis process and also recovering fiberglass. The results were: humidity around 3 wt. %; the average loss of mass around 68 wt. %; the tensile strength is reduced by about 76 % when a composite with recycled fiberglass is laminated, as compared to the use of virgin fiberglass. This work establishing the physical recycling mechanism and route for composite materials, identifying the thermal degradation processes, for thus applying them to other materials, still considered environmental issues, technically and economically making these materials manufacturing processes viable, as well as establishing a recycling route.

玻璃纤维（fiberglass）/热固性基体复合材料（thermoset matrix composite）具备比质量与机械强度等关键性能，旨在替代部分工程材料。然而，其由多种材料复合而成的特性使得该类材料成为环境难题，原因在于其回收工艺极为复杂。当前亟需应对环保压力并建立完善的回收机制，为此本研究提出开展物理回收工艺的研究，重点聚焦微波辅助热解工艺，并实现玻璃纤维的回收再利用。研究所得结果如下：回收产物的含水率约为3 wt.%；平均质量损失率约为68 wt.%；与使用原生玻璃纤维的情况相比，采用回收玻璃纤维层压制备的复合材料的抗拉强度降低约76%。本研究明确了复合材料的物理回收机制与工艺路线，厘清了其热降解过程，进而可将该方法推广应用于其他仍被视为存在环保挑战的材料，在技术与经济层面保障此类材料制造工艺的可行性，并建立起完整的回收路径。