Methods and systems for recycling of laminated materials

A method for recycling cured composite laminate scrap into delaminated recyclate that maintains a fiber volume fraction and a lamina level fiber alignment substantially the same as the cured composite laminate scrap, the method comprising:

• reducing in size the cured composite laminate scrap comprising a resin matrix and a plurality of fibers having a fiber volume fraction and a lamina level fiber alignment, via a size reduction process to obtain cured composite laminate flakes;
• separating, sorting and classifying the cured composite laminate flakes, wherein the sorting requires sorting contaminants separated from the cured composite laminate scrap;
• treating the cured composite laminate flakes by soaking in one or more liquid solvents so that the cured composite laminate flakes substantially absorb the one or more liquid solvents;
• removing the one or more liquid solvents not absorbed by the cured composite laminate flakes;
• a first heating step of heating the cured composite laminate flakes substantially absorbed with the one or more liquid solvents to a temperature below a lowest solvent boiling point of the one or more liquid solvents, and then a second heating step of heating more rapidly than the first heating step the cured composite laminate flakes substantially absorbed with the one or more liquid solvents to a temperature above a 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 in order to delaminate the cured composite laminate flakes;
• and,
• wherein the first and second heating steps result in delaminated recyclate that maintains a fiber volume fraction and a lamina level fiber alignment substantially the same as the cured composite laminate scrap.