Recycled Carbon Fiber for Composite Materials

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is a very strong and light weight material. With it being similar, to glass-reinforced plastic, these fibers are used to increase the strength and stiffness of the polymer into which they are incorporated. The resulting materials provide tensile and modulus values comparable to aluminum with about half the weight. Because of these mechanical properties, the materials have numerous applications in aerospace, automotive, bicycles, and sailboats where balancing strength and stiffness with density is important.

Carbon fiber composites are valued for their potential to provide more sustainable transportation solutions for reduced carbon emissions during use, yet the production and end-of life phases of their lifecycle reveal a greater environmental impact than the metals they typically replace. Current carbon fiber composites production methods result in significant waste, little of which is recycled. As carbon fiber composites use continues to grow and sustainability strategies push for zero-waste-to-landfill, routes to reclaiming and reusing this expensive resource are becoming more critical.

Recycled Carbon Fiber for Composite Materials provides a critical review and the latest research results and applications of recycled carbon fiber composites materials in various sectors. The book discusses the different recycling processes of carbon fibers and their surface modifications. In recent years, there has been enormous research and commercialisation with recycled carbon fiber composites materials, which has been published in several journal review papers and publications on industrial applications, but to date, there have been no books published focusing on recycled carbon fiber for composite materials in a systematic way. The chapters focus on their recycling processes, surface modification, composite types with different polymers, various manufacturing processes and evaluates their properties. Current applications in various sectors are also discussed and future trends including life cycle analysis, and numerical modelling. The book will be a significant guide for academic and industrial researchers, materials scientists and engineers and all those who are involved in this important research field.