Dismantling ability and evaluation of adhesive strength for thermosetting adhesive in glass fiber reinforced plastic joints using single-walled carbon nanotube and microwave irradiation

This study proposes a method to enhance the recyclability of glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRP) by imparting dismantling ability to thermosetting adhesives through microwave irradiation. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) were added to epoxy adhesives at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 wt%. The results showed that adhesive strength improved at 0.2–0.6 wt% for epoxy. Additionally, thermal decomposition and successful disassembly were observed at concentrations of ≧ 0.6 wt% for epoxy under microwave irradiation. This approach provides a promising bonding technology that enables both strong adhesion and easy disassembly, contributing to improved recyclability of FRP structures.