Table 2.
Summary of reviewed works on the full recycling of TPFRPs, methodologies in use, and recycling outcome.
| System (Matrix/Fiber) |
Recycling Mechanism |
Trec (°C) |
Chemicals for Recycling | ♲ | Notes on Fibers after Recycling |
Notes on Recycled Polymers and Composites | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA/CCF (3D printed) | Mechanical: melting + FDM extrusion | 240 | NA | 100% CCF 73% PLA |
Higher tensile force due to better impregnation | Remanufactured composite retains mechanical properties | [56] |
| PA66/CF | Mechanical: grinding + injection molding | 280 | NA | Entire composite | Shorter fibers, retain adhesion to matrix | Remanufactured composite retains mechanical properties | [67] |
| PP/GF (Tepex® scraps, offcuts) PA6/CF (Tepex® scraps, offcuts) |
Mechanical: grinding + compression molding | 220 260 |
NA | Entire composite | Shorter fibers, random orientation in recycled composite | Recycled composites had poor properties, sandwich of virgin and recycled laminates showed properties comparable to virgin composites | [68] |
| PA66/GF (10 y/o car scraps) | Mechanical: grinding + injection molding | 285 | NA | Entire composite | Shorter fibers | Recycled composites showed noticeably worse properties than reference composite | [69] |
| PP/CF | Chemical: polymer dissolution of ground composite | ≈150 | Xylene Acetone |
Entire composite | Shorter fibers, impregnated with PP, realigned by HiPerDiF | 2nd generation remanufactured composite showed improved tensile strength | [14] |
| PA6/CF | Chemical: polymer dissolution of ground composite | 160 | Benzyl alcohol Acetone |
Entire composite | Shorter fibers, realigned by HiPerDiF, agglomeration was observed | 2nd generation remanufactured composite showed 40% lower tensile strength and modulus | [70] |
| PA6/CF | Chemical: polymer dissolution | 160 | Various CreaSolv® | Polymer is recovered | Clean, unchanged length, similar tensile strength | Remanufacturing of composite was not reported | [71] |
| Elium®/GF (methacrylate) | Chemical: polymer dissolution | RT | Chloroform Methanol |
Entire composite | Rovings were recovered, slight decrease in stiffness | Recovered polymer and ground composite were reused | [21] |
| Elium®/CF (methacrylate) |
Chemical: polymer dissolution | RT | Fresh monomer Acetone |
Entire composite | Woven structure is retained | Recycled polymer can displace 7.5 wt % of virgin polymer for manufacturing of composite | [72] |
The column identified by the recycling symbol (♲) in its header reports to what extent the material was recycled.