Influences on Textile and Mechanical Properties of Recycled Carbon Fiber Nonwovens Produced by Carding

Nonwovens made of recycled carbon fibers (rCF) and thermoplastic (TP) fibers have excellent economic and ecological potential. In contrast to new fibers, recycled carbon fibers are significantly cheaper, and the CO₂ footprint is mostly compensated by energy savings in the first product life cycle. The next step for this promising material is its industrial serial use. Therefore, we analyzed the process chain from fiber to composite material. Initially, the rCF length at different positions during the carding process was measured. Thereafter, we evaluated the influence of the TP fibers on the processing, fiber shortening, and mechanical properties. Finally, several nonwovens with different TP fibers and fiber volume contents between 15 vol% and 30 vol% were produced, consolidated by hot-pressing, and tested by four-point bending to determine the mechanical values. The fiber length reduction ranged from 20.6% to 28.4%. TP fibers cushioned the rCF against mechanical stress but held rCF fragments back due to their crimp. The resulting bending strength varied from 301 to 405 MPa, and the stiffness ranged from 16.3 to 30.1 GPa. Design recommendations for reduced fiber shortening are derived as well as material mixtures that offer better homogeneity and higher mechanical properties.