A TECHNIQUE FOR COATING ARAMID FIBERS BY RECYCLING OF ARAMID-BASED THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES

Recycling of thermoplastic composites may simultaneously result in coa ting the reinforcing fibers contained within a thermoplastic film. Suc h a coating is created when recycling is based on the solution/repreci pitation method as follows: The composites are exposed to a dissolutio n process, and consequently the polymer/fiber solution is filtrated, c ausing the reinforcing agent and the polymer matrix to be separated. T he polymer content remaining on the fibers decreases when the washing conditions become more vigorous. The concept was applied to ionomer-ba sed composites containing 15% w/w aramid fibers in a random in-plane o rientation. The so-recycled aramid fibers, being coated with ionomer, were then incorporated in the same polymer matrix but of virgin qualit y. In this paper, results on the tensile performance of these second-g eneration composites are presented, revealing a considerable improveme nt in agreement with previous studies on glass-based thermoplastic com posites.