Recycling of Thermoplastic Glass Fiber‐Reinforced Composites Using High‐Voltage Fragmentation

A rectangular polymer profile made of glass fiber‐reinforced thermoplastic sheathing material and a polyethylene terephthalate foam core were to be separated for recycling. For this purpose, a mechanical recycling process utilizing a cutting mill and the high‐voltage fragmentation (HVF) process were used and their achievements in composite separation were compared. For both separation methods, parameter variations resulted in a total of two test series each consisting of drying, screening, optional density separation, ashing, weighing, microscopic analyses, and glass fiber length measurements. Using HVF, a better separation of the core and sheath materials was achieved and longer glass fibers could be recovered. Separation of a polymer profile made of glass fiber‐reinforced thermoplastic sheathing material and a polyethylene terephthalate foam core was studied for recycling, comparing comminution by a cutting mill or high‐voltage fragmentation (HVF). HVF resulted in better separation of the core and sheath materials and in longer glass fibers.