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Circular Approach to Composite Materials: Synthesis of Carbon Nanomaterials from Polymer Recycling Liquid By-Products
Summary
Researchers demonstrated that hydrocarbon-rich liquid by-products from the solvolysis recycling of fiber-reinforced polymer composites can serve as sustainable carbon precursors for growing carbon nanotubes and nanofibers via chemical vapor deposition. The resulting nanomaterials showed high graphitization and up to 90.3% carbon purity, comparable to structures made from conventional feedstocks, offering an upcycling pathway that improves the economics of composite recycling.
The growing volume of fiber-reinforced polymer composite waste creates an urgent need for efficient recycling technologies. While solvolysis effectively breaks down thermoset matrices for fiber reinforcement recovery, the process generates hydrocarbon-rich liquid by-products that require further management. This study validates the use of these liquid recycling streams-derived from the solvolysis of unsaturated polyester and epoxy resins-as sustainable carbon precursors for the growth of carbon nanomaterials. Synthesis was performed via catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at 850 °C using iron nanoparticles impregnated on a zeolite substrate. Morphological analysis confirmed the production of one-dimensional nanostructures (carbon nanotubes/nanofibers), with average diameters below 100 nm. Raman spectroscopy revealed a high degree of graphitization, with ID/IG ratios ranging from 0.25 to 0.58, which is comparable to structures synthesized from conventional precursors. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated high thermal stability and carbon purity reaching up to 90.3%. These findings demonstrate a viable upcycling pathway that enhances the economic attractiveness of composite recycling by transforming waste into advanced nanomaterials.