A new recycling process for recycled plastic production from glass fiber reinforced plastics

Abstract

The decomposition of glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP) with ethylene glycol monoallyl ether (EGMA) and benzyl alcohol (BnOH) by non-catalytic transesterification under high pressure, microwave irradiation was investigated. The decomposition product of GFRP with EGMA (EGMA-P) has a high reactivity for the cross-linking reaction to unsaturated polyester (UP) compared to the product of GFRP with BnOH (Bn-P) because of the presence of many allyl groups derived from EGMA. Therefore, the hardened material (EGMA-HM) with high thermal stability was prepared from EGMA-P, unsaturated polyester, and curing agent. Finally, the recycled GFRP with high bending breaking point was produced from EGMA-P.