Erosive separation of organic coatings from fibrous substrates

The separation of organic coatings from fibrous substrates is a key problem in recycling processes. This problem applies to carpets, technical textiles and automotive interior components. This paper reports about results of laboratory studies involving the application of high-speed liquid jets to solve this problem. Results from high-speed video images are used to qualify the principal erosion process. It is shown that the coating material is first ground by the jet; the generated erosion debris is then pushed through the permeable fibrous fabric of the substrate. It is also found that threshold conditions exist for the coating grinding process and for the debris transportation. These threshold conditions depend on target composition and process parameters. A phenomenological separation model is introduced. The influence of key process parameters, namely jet velocity, exposure time, stand-off distance and impact angle, is also investigated. It is found that high-speed liquid jets are suitable tools for separating organic coatings completely and selectively from fibrous substrates. Recommendations on how to optimise the erosion process are derived from the results.