Manufacturing, thermoforming, and recycling of glass fiber/ PET/ PET foam sandwich composites: DOE analysis of recycled materials

This article presents efficient methods to manufacture, thermoform, and recycle sandwich composites consisting of glass fiber (GF)/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) composite skins and a PET foam core. Sandwich composite panels were manufactured using a hot press, which involved heating and pressing from the upper and lower platens inducing thermal fusion between the skin and the foam core. The formability of the sandwich composite panels using a hot press and a pocket-shaped mold was simulated to determine the forming conditions. And the formability of the sandwich composite panels was tested using the simulation results. Recycling of the sandwich composite panels was achieved using recycling molds to perform heat compression. The excess PET was separated from the GF/PET composite and re-impregnated with the remaining GF and PET. As a result of recycling, recycled PET and PET/GF composite were obtained. Design of experiments (DOE) analysis was conducted to analyze the recycled properties and to identify which factors affected these properties. These results were re-plotted according to DOE priority ranking to identify the changes in the properties of the recycled materials per factor. Compared to the original properties, the mechanical and thermal properties including modulus, ultimate tensile strength, melting temperature and crystalline temperature were similar to 95 and similar to 99% preserved. These findings are expected to contribute towards the development of recyclable sandwich composite panels with reduced mass production cost, which are easily formed, used and recycled.

Automated summary

This article presents efficient methods for manufacturing, thermoforming, and recycling sandwich composites made of GF/PET composite skins and a PET foam core. The formability of the panels was simulated and tested, and recycling methods were used to separate excess PET from the composite and obtain recycled PET and PET/GF composite. The mechanical and thermal properties of the recycled materials were similar to the original properties. These findings are important for the development of recyclable sandwich composites.