Decomposition of carbon fiber/phenolic composites using supercritical water

The recycle treatment of carbon fiber/phenolic composites is investigated. Using the supercritical water as the action agent, the rate of decomposition reaches 75% when the temperature is 400°C, the concentration of NaOH is 1 mol/L, the reaction time is 30 min, and the filling rate is 0.62. The gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analyses of the decomposition products indicate that they are the substance containing the benzene structure where the content of phenol and methyl phenol is 33%. The rate of decomposition increases with the increase of action temperature and time. The SEM analysis of the decomposed sample shows that the surface of fiber is smooth, which indicates the considerable decomposition effect.