Project COMAR: New chemical and mixed composites recycling technologies to boost the circular economy AR of scale

The COMAR project focuses on finding new ways to recycle and reuse waste from thermoset and vitrimeric matrix-based composites through different chemical recycling techniques, such as pyrolysis and solvolysis.

The aim of the project is to develop new products for the construction, wind and transport sectors from materials obtained from the recycling of composite waste, using conditions that allow the mechanical properties of the fibres obtained to be preserved or, if necessary, restored. The by-products obtained, for example, in processes such as solvolysis, will give rise to the formation of new matrices that can be used in these or other sectors of interest.

The aim is to:

– Establish innovative routes of reuse and recycling of waste from composites, trying to reduce energy consumption as much as possible and maximize the properties of recovered fibers.

– Improve the sustainability of the composite industry with the revaluation of by-products.

– Reduce the environmental impact of solvolysis and pyrolysis processes through research on the use of catalysts.

– Have a waste recovery strategy for each application.

– Promote the circular economy in the composites sector.

– Promote digitalization and industry 4.0 in the composites sector to improve productivity, quality and costs.

With our participation, ROVER INFRAESTRUCTURAS will assess the feasibility of using glass fibers obtained from composite waste as concrete reinforcement in infrastructure in the maritime-port sector. The inert solid waste comes mainly from broken wind turbine blades from which, through chemical recycling, glass fibers and resin are separated on one side that will be used as raw material for this project. To this end, the aim is to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of these recycled fibers for their viability as reinforcement of concrete matrices. The composition of recycled glass fibers (E, A, AR…) will therefore be studied to assess their resistance to the alkaline environment of concrete and ensure proper durability in the alkaline environment that concrete assumes. The ensimazing effect of recycled fibres will also be studied to provide proper adhesion to concrete as well as good resistance to deterioration to maximize the effect of mechanical properties.

The objective is to design a range of concrete formulations with different recycled fiberglass dosages, fiber size and type of silage that meet minimum requirements for strength and durability that demonstrate the viability of this type of recycled fiberglass. These strength requirements can be set in values that define both for a structural concrete (marine crates, canister beam…) and for a concrete with a non-structural character with a function of plastic retraction or cracking control fibers (flooring, prefabricated panels…). In order to evaluate the mechanical and rheological properties of these concretes and select the best formulations, an experimental campaign has been set up to characterize mechanical strength through compression and flexotraction tests on prismatic specimens.

In the final phase of the project, a small-scale demonstrator representative of a structural application will be manufactured with recycled glass reinforced concrete (HRF) for validation and to test its structural behavior in Ultimate Limit State (ELU) by mechanical testing at different load levels.

ROVER INFRAESTRUCTURAS will carry out this project in consortium with AZVI, Mesbook, InCom Group, Sofitec, Aerox, UBE and Técnicas Reunidas.

This project has CDTI funding, coming from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and co-financed by the European Fund for Regional Development (ERDF), through the Multi-Regional Program Spain ERDF 2021-2027.