SBIR-STTR Award

Recycling of composites manufacturing scrap and end-of-life waste is expected to become more important as the use of composite materials expands into different applications. Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) wastes especially are a potentially valuable source of recycled carbon fibers if an economic and environmentally friendly technology for recycling these fibers can be developed. The Phase 1 project will examine the feasibility of a CFRP carbon fiber recycling process and methods for improving the properties of the recycled carbon fibers to create new value-added products. The results of Phase 1 will be used to assist with the construction of a small-scale pilot process in Phase 2.

Recycling of composites manufacturing scrap and end-of-life waste is expected to become more important as the use of composite materials expands into different applications. Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) wastes especially are a potentially valuable source of recycled carbon fibers if an economic and environmentally friendly technology for recycling these fibers can be developed. This Phase 2 project will develop a scalable continuous process to produce recycled carbon fibers from waste and scrap carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites and prepregs.

Keywords:
Carbon Fibers, Recycling, Disposal, Waste Reduction, Composites, Cfrp