Composite Laminate Recycling via Solvent Phase Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for recycling composite laminate materials often result in products with reduced fiber value due to random fiber orientation and purity issues, requiring costly reorientation and manual labor, and fail to maintain the original fiber alignment and volume fraction of the recycled materials.
Innovation Solution
A method involving preconditioning composite laminate materials with liquid solvents, followed by controlled heating to effect a liquid-to-gas phase change, which delaminates the materials while preserving the fiber alignment and volume fraction, allowing for the recovery of valuable fibers and resins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If mechanical comminution and pyrolysis are used for recycling, then energy recovery and fiber recovery are achieved, but fiber alignment is lost and purity issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses solvent extraction followed by phase separation to delaminate composite laminates. The solvent penetrates the laminate, swells the matrix, and causes delamination through phase separation, allowing recovery of fibers with preserved alignment and high purity without mechanical comminution or pyrolysis
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a solvent as an intermediary substance to facilitate delamination. The solvent acts as a mediator that penetrates the composite structure, swells the matrix material, and enables separation of layers while preserving fiber integrity and alignment, avoiding direct mechanical or thermal degradation
2Loss of substance
If resin matrix is removed to obtain reinforcing fiber, then fiber recovery is achieved, but random fiber orientation results reducing value
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase separation through solvent extraction to delaminate the composite. This process separates the matrix from fibers through phase transition rather than mechanical disruption, preserving the original fiber orientation and alignment while achieving complete matrix removal for high-purity fiber recovery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical comminution and reorientation systems with a chemical-solvent-based delamination process. This substitution eliminates the need for subsequent mechanical reorientation steps by preserving fiber alignment throughout the recycling process, reducing complexity and maintaining fiber value
3Manufacturing precision
If manual labor is used for macro separation and sorting, then separation purity is achieved, but expense increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the composite laminate to self-delaminate through solvent penetration and swelling. The material itself performs the separation function through controlled chemical interaction, eliminating the need for manual labor or complex mechanical sorting systems while achieving high separation purity
Solution Approach 2:
The solvent acts as an intermediary that facilitates automatic delamination and separation. This mediator enables the system to achieve high separation purity through controlled chemical processes rather than manual intervention, significantly reducing labor costs while maintaining separation quality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the recycling of composite laminate materials into delaminated recyclates that maintain the original fiber alignment and volume fraction, enhancing the value of the recycled materials and reducing production costs by eliminating the need for manual sorting and reorientation.
Implementation Method 1
preconditioning the cured composite laminate material by soaking in one or more liquid solvents so that the cured composite laminate material substantially absorbs the one or more liquid solvents
Implementation Method 2
rapidly heating the pre-heated cured composite laminate material substantially absorbed with the one or more liquid solvents to a temperature above the highest solvent boiling point of the one or more liquid solvents, so as to effect a liquid-to-gas phase change of the one or more liquid solvents
Implementation Method 3
rapidly heating the pre-heated cured composite laminate material substantially absorbed with the one or more liquid solvents to a temperature above the highest solvent boiling point of the one or more liquid solvents, so as to effect a liquid-to-gas phase change of the one or more liquid solvents
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A
AI summary
In an embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a method and system for recycling a cured composite laminate material into a delaminated recyclate that maintains a fiber volume fraction and a lamina level fiber alignment substantially the same as in the cured composite laminate material. The method uses a cured composite laminate material having a fiber volume fraction and a lamina level fiber alignment. The cured composite laminate material undergoes solvent soak preconditioning, liquid solvent removal, pre-heating, and rapid heating with phase change delamination of the cured composite laminate material to obtain the delaminated recyclate that maintains a fiber volume fraction and a lamina level fiber alignment substantially the same as in the cured composite laminate material.