Abstract
Recycled carbon fibers (rCF) are gaining attention as a promising means of reusing waste from carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP). However, one of the challenges is the variability in fiber surface and mechanical properties caused by the pyrolysis process conditions during the recycling process. In particular, the influence of these inhomogeneities on the mechanical properties and failure behavior of materials made by rCF has not been fully understood.
In this study, the surface condition of rCF controlled by pyrolysis conditions was observed and its mechanical properties when molded into an in-plane isotropic material with an epoxy resin matrix evaluated. Additionally, the possibility that interlaminar crack suppression behavior, caused when localized high-rigidity regions exist at the fiber bundle interfaces, which might resemble the mechanisms of crack arresters in CFRP laminates was explored. As a result, these investigations turned out the applicability of rCF as a crack arrester and provided design guidelines, as well as identify challenges related to expanding the use of rCF.
