Method of Recycling Fiber Composite Materials

Abstract

A method for recycling a fiber laminae, the fiber laminae being impregnated with a partially cured resin, the partially cured resin being expired, the method comprising steps of jetting a solvent toward the fiber laminae; extracting the partially cured resin from the fiber laminae, said extraction being effected by impingements of the solvent jet against the fiber laminae's impregnated partially cured resin; and drying the fiber laminae.

1 . A method for recycling a fiber laminae, the fiber laminae being impregnated with a partially cured resin, the partially cured resin being expired, the method comprising steps of:
 (a) jetting a solvent toward the fiber laminae;   (b) extracting the partially cured resin from the fiber laminae, said extraction being effected by impingements of the solvent jet against the fiber laminae's impregnated partially cured resin; and   (c) drying the fiber laminae.   
     
     
         2 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 1  further comprising a step of providing a tank and a step of conveying the fiber laminae into the tank, wherein the jetting the solvent toward the fiber laminae step is performed within the tank. 
     
     
         3 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 2  comprising a step of further conveying the fiber laminae out of the tank. 
     
     
         4 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 3  wherein the extracting the partially cured resin step comprises a step of recovering the partially cured resin from the tank. 
     
     
         5 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 4  further comprising a step of mixing the solvent and the partially cured resin within the tank, said mixing step commencing upon performance of the step of conveying the fiber laminae into the tank, wherein the recovering the partially cured resin form the tank comprises evaporative distillation of the solvent and partially cured resin mixture. 
     
     
         6 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 5  wherein the evaporative distillation step comprises condensing the solvent, and further comprising a step of recovering the solvent, said solvent recovering step comprising collecting the condensed solvent within the tank or collecting the condensed solvent within a second container. 
     
     
         7 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 6  further comprising a step of preliminarily rolling the fiber laminae, and wherein the conveying the fiber laminae step comprises a roll dispensing step. 
     
     
         8 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 7  wherein the solvent recovering step comprises a step of squeezing portions of the solvent and partially cured resin mixture out of the fiber laminae, said squeezing step being performed after performance of the further conveying the fiber laminae out of the tank step and prior to performance of the drying step. 
     
     
         9 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 8  further comprising a re-rolling step, said step being performed after performance of the drying step. 
     
     
         10 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, toluene, acetonitrile, dimethyl 1 fonnamide, hexane and tetrahydrofuran. 
     
     
         11 . The method for recycling the fiber laminae of  claim 10  wherein the fiber laminae is selected from the group consisting of woven fiberglass fibers, unidirectional fiberglass fibers, woven carbon fibers, unidirectional carbon fibers, woven polyaramid fibers, and unidirectional polyaramid fibers.