Standardization of testing methods for recycled carbon fiber

抄録

In recent years, the demand for carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) with excellent mechanical properties and low weight has increased. At the same time, the amount of discarded CFRP is expected to increase. The recycling of CFRP is important to ensure its continued use in the face of increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Various recycling methods have been proposed, but the quality of the recycled carbon fiber (rCF) varies depending on the processing method and other factors. We have therefore developed two test methods to evaluate and ensure the quality of the rCF. These are (a) an improved fragmentation test that simultaneously evaluates the fiber/polymer interface shear strength and the fiber strength from a tensile test of a fiber-embedded polymer film, and (b) a fiber bundle tensile test that efficiently evaluates the strength distribution of rCF. We are also pursuing international standardization of these test methods to promote the use of rCF.