THE BIODEGRADATION OF UNCURED FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMERS

FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMERS COMPRISE A SIGNIFICANT FRACTION OF THE MATERIALS USED IN THE FABRICATION OF RECENT AND DEVELOPING AIR FORCE WEAPON SYSTEMS. EPOXY, POLYIMIDE, PHENOLIC AND POLYESTER RESIN BASES, IN CONJUNCTION WITH KEVLAR 49 ARAMID, CARBON AND GLASS SUPPORTS, PROVIDE HIGH-PERFORMANCE WITH LIGHTWEIGHT, HIGH STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS, DAMAGE (FATIGUE AND STRESS) RESISTANCE AND VIBRATION DAMPING PROPERTIES. OFTEN, WHEN THESE PRODUCTS ARE MANUFACTURED, THERE ARE RESIDUAL OR NON-SPEC WASTE MATERIALS GENERATED. INCINERATION, AUTOCLAVING OR LANDFILLING ARE THE CURRENT DISPOSAL METHODS. THE WASTES, CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS AND ENVIRONMENTALLY UNSAFE, MAY INCLUDE UNCURED RESIN, INITIATOR, UNCAST POLYMER OR COMPOSITE, MOLD TRIMMINGS, FINISHING DUST AND REJECTS AT ALL STEPS OF THE FABRICATION PROCESS. IN RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM, TECHNICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES (TRA) PROPOSES TO FULLY STUDY AND DEVELOP A NON-POLLUTING, EFFICIENT, COST-EFFECTIVE BIODEGRADATION PROCESS WHICH WOULD ELIMINATE OR MINIMIZE THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH HAZARDS CAUSED BY PRESENT DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. THE APPROACH WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARDS BIODEGRADING THE UNCURED RESINS, ALLOWING THE FREED FIBER REINFORCEMENTS TO BE EITHER RECYCLED OR SECURELY LANDFILLED. THIS WORK WILL FOLLOW AND BE BASED UPON THE PROVEN DEGRADATION APPROACH SHOWN IN PREVIOUS TRA WORK INVOLVING THE BIODEGRADATION OF POLYURETHANES, EPOXIES, POLYSULFIDES, FLUOROCARBONS AND FLUOROSILICONES.