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Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Fiber Composite Laminate Quality with the Wet Hand Lay-Up/Vacuum Bag Process
Published on: June 30, 2023
Repairable Woven Carbon Fiber Composites with Full Recyclability Enabled by Malleable Polyimine Networks
Philip Taynton1, Huagang Ni1,2, Chengpu Zhu1
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309-0215, USA.
Abstract:
Carbon-fiber reinforced composites are prepared using catalyst-free malleable polyimine networks as binders. An energy neutral closed-loop recycling process has been developed, enabling recovery of 100% of the imine components and carbon fibers in their original form. Polyimine films made using >21% recycled content exhibit no loss of mechanical performance, therefore indicating all of the thermoset composite material can be recycled and reused for the same purpose.
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