Evaluation of recycled carbon fibre/epoxy composites: Thermal degradation behaviour of pyrolysed and virgin carbon fibres using thermogravimetric analysis

The recycling of carbon fibres is a critical step in the reutilization of carbon fibres in a closed-loop economy. Evaluation of the recovered fibres regarding their mechanical properties, purity of the fibre surfaces and thermal stability are key points when exploring new high performance applications. This publication reports about the investigation of the thermal stability of pyrolysed carbon fibres and virgin fibres alone and in composite materials using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).