Aerobic depolymerization of fiber-reinforced composites
AssigneeUniversity of Southern California
InventorsTravis J. Williams, Steven Nutt, Yijia Ma, Carlos Navarro
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Abstract
A method of aerobic depolymerization of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites using sustainable reagents and conditions. A cured matrix is digested into soluble monomers and oligomers by catalytic aerobic oxidation. Carbon fibers are removed for re-use, then the remaining material is treated and valuable monomers are isolated. The isolated monomers can be converted back into resin precursors for re-use. The method solves the problem created because the typically irreversible cure reaction impedes recycling and re-use of FRP composites.
Claims16
A method of aerobic depolymerization of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, the method comprising:
- providing a fiber-reinforced matrix for recycling, wherein the fiber-reinforced matrix for recycling includes a monomer repeat unit having the following formula:
- treating the fiber-reinforced matrix with a pretreatment solvent to permeabilize the FRP matrix;
- degrading the FRP matrix under oxidative acidic peroxide conditions with a matrix digest solution that includes one or more catalysts and an oxygen source as a terminal oxidant to recover fibers at a first predetermined temperature, the one or more catalysts including MnCl2;
- and
- removing the fibers from the matrix digest solution after the fiber-reinforced matrix has been solubilized;
- and
- harvesting resin monomers.
A method of aerobic depolymerization of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, the method comprising:
- providing a fiber-reinforced matrix for recycling that includes a monomer repeat unit having the following formula:
- degrading FRP matrix with a matrix digest solution that includes one or more catalysts, and an oxygen source as a terminal oxidant to recover fibers at a first predetermined temperature, wherein the one or more catalysts include;
- MnCl2;
- and
- removing the fibers from the matrix digest solution after the fiber-reinforced matrix has been solubilized;
- and
- recovering a tetraacetate having formula 6
- where OAc is acetate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.