Manufacturing of Polymer Composites by Recycling Discarded Thermoset Polymer Composites through Partial Solvolysis

Najat Albarakati, Rakesh Gupta, Hota GangaRao, and Hunter Hardway*

West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506

Presentation Category: Physical Sciences & Engineering (Poster Presentation #152)

Student’s Major: Chemical Engineering

Within the last century, plastics have grown into one of the most widely used materials in every sector including construction, clothing, transportation, and aeronautics. Plastic production in the United States has exceed 70 billion lbs/year. So called “single-use plastics” such as grocery bags and water bottles contribute greatly to waste, however, due to being “thermoplastics” they can be shredded and recycled. Another class of plastics, “thermosets”, are used as the basis for the fiber reinforced plastics found in cars, airplanes, and wind turbine blades to name a few. While easy to collect, these are difficult to recycle due to their cured nature that will not melt but only degrade under excess heat. This research is dedicated to recycling these plastics by partially degrading them and then reshaping them. Preliminary testing has shown that glass fiber reinforced plastics mixed with appropriate solvents and subjected to heat are able to be softened and reshaped. Mechanical and thermal properties are attractive. Current testing is focused on finding the optimal solvent, pressure, and temperature to lower reaction time in small samples. In time, research will be scaled up to bigger samples and more practical components. Research began in August 2020 and is expected to conclude in July 2023.

Funding: WVU Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, WVU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course