Manufacturing of automotive mat using recycled carbon fiber: Obtaining strong physical properties through isotropic fiber orientation and improved adhesion of epoxy resin

Abstract

With the rise in carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) usage, there is a growing occurrence of waste disposal, prompting the exploration of different recycling methods. The primary methods of recycling include separating carbon fibers and resin from discarded CFRP products or reusing scraps generated during CFRP production, such as dry fabric or prepreg. Recycling leftover dry fabric is essential for waste management in the automotive industry. Current research is centered on utilizing recycled materials to produce anisotropic mats, presenting difficulties in managing variations in properties. Moreover, isotropic mats are the preferred choice for practical automotive component design. Our research aimed to solve this problem by creating recycled carbon fiber (rCF) mats with isotropic characteristics through a wet method to enhance even fiber spreading. Conditions to minimize property changes in the fabric based on direction were identified, and the mats were tailored accordingly. Then, the resin was impregnated into the mats using compression resin transfer molding to form CFRP. The static properties of the CFRP specimens produced were evaluated to identify conditions that maximize isotropy. Furthermore, observations of oil injection into rCF mats showed that resin track formation was reduced when CFRP was fabricated using isotropic mats.