Carbon Fiber/PLA Recycled Composite.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Sustainable Engineering

Background:

• Increasing demand for carbon fiber (CF) and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) leads to significant waste generation.
• Growing plastic waste from 3D printing, particularly Polylactic acid (PLA), necessitates effective recycling strategies.
• Limited research exists on utilizing CF and CFRP waste to enhance recycled polymer properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a recycled composite material by reinforcing waste Polylactic acid (PLA) with leftover carbon fiber (CF) and carbon-fiber-reinforced composite (CFRP) waste.
• To investigate the feasibility of using two distinct waste streams (CF and CFRP) for composite production.
• To evaluate the impact of recycled carbon fiber reinforcement on the mechanical and thermal properties of PLA.

Main Methods:

• Two composite formulations were created by mixing waste PLA with either CF waste or CFRP waste.
• Tensile testing was performed to assess the mechanical properties of the recycled composites.
• Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for thermal and structural characterization.

Main Results:

• The incorporation of CF and CFRP waste into PLA significantly altered its mechanical and thermal properties.
• Detailed analysis using TGA, XRD, and FTIR provided insights into the structural and thermal stability enhancements.
• The study demonstrated the potential for creating value-added materials from composite waste streams.

Conclusions:

• Recycled carbon fiber and CFRP waste can be effectively utilized to reinforce Polylactic acid (PLA), offering a sustainable recycling pathway.
• The developed recycled composites show potential for applications requiring enhanced material properties.
• This research contributes to waste management solutions in both the composites and 3D printing industries.