TRC in collaboration with EurecaT, develops the first reinforced plastics from recycled carbon fiber. Innovation is a revolution in the field of recycling composites, since it allows recycled fibers to be applicable in the plastics industry through the extrusion-compounding process.
The extrusion-compounding process consist of steel passing the plastic through a cylinder with different heating zones where the material is melted due to the shearing action provided by the screw and the temperature provided by the resistors.
The increase in concentration of carbon fiber in the polypropylene (PP) matrix significantly increases the modulus and the tensile strength of the plastic. With a determination Percentage load of carbon fiber analysis shows that it multiplies by 8 the module and almost triples the tensile strength of the PP.