Investigation on the Mechanical Recycling of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymers by Peripheral Down-Milling.

Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are composite materials that play a significant role in the growth of many industrial fields where high performance and lightness of the structures are required. At the same time, the management at the end of their life has required the development of more and more sustainable and efficient recycling solutions. Considering this, the present research work aims to investigate a mechanical recycling method and the cutting strategies able to machine CFRP components in their entirety, using a common milling machine in a job shop scheme, making a shorter supply chain, and leading to economic and environmental benefits.

Optimization of Single-Point Incremental Forming of Polymer Sheets through FEM.

Incremental sheet forming represents a relatively new process appointed to form sheets of pure metals, alloys, polymers, and composites for the manufacture of components in fields where customized production in a short time and at a low cost is required. Its most common variant, named single-point incremental forming, is a flexible process using very simple tooling; the sheet is clamped along the edges and a hemispherical-headed tool follows a required path, to deform the sheet locally. In so doing, better formability is reached without any dedicated dies and for low-forming forces, which represent some of the attractive features of this process.

A New Strategy to Produce Hemp Fibers through a Waterglass-Based Ecofriendly Process.

Natural fibers such as kenaf, hemp, flax, jute, and sisal have become the subject of much research as potential green or eco-friendly reinforcement composites, since they assure the reduction of weight, cost, and CO release with less reliance on oil sources. Herein, an inexpensive and eco-friendly waterglass treatment is proposed, allowing the production of silica-coated fibers that can be easily obtained in micro/nano fibrils through a low power mixer. The silica coating has been exploited to improve the chemical compatibility between fibers and the polymer matrix through the reaction of silanol groups with suitable coupling agents.