	US 12,441,029 B2
	Recycling of fiber-reinforced composite material using electromagnetic radiation
Mark H. Privett, Belton, MO (US); Danielle M. Coverdell, Blue Springs, MO (US); Susan R. Schickling, Kent, WA (US); Dwayne A. Hughes, Liberty, MO (US); Elizabeth Irene Reza, Overland Park, KS (US); and Eric A. Eastwood, Raymore, MO (US)
Assigned to Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC, Kansas City, MO (US)
Filed by Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, LLC, Kansas City, MO (US)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/884,608.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/582,553, filed on Sep. 14, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0091256 A1, Mar. 20, 2025
Int. Cl. B29B 17/02 (2006.01); C08J 11/06 (2006.01); B29K 25/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/06 (2006.01); B29K 105/08 (2006.01); B29K 105/12 (2006.01); B29K 309/08 (2006.01)

CPC B29B 17/02 (2013.01) [C08J 11/06 (2013.01); B29B 2017/0213 (2013.01); B29K 2025/00 (2013.01); B29K 2105/06 (2013.01); B29K 2105/08 (2013.01); B29K 2105/12 (2013.01); B29K 2309/08 (2013.01); C08J 2335/06 (2013.01); Y02W 30/62 (2015.05)]

20 Claims

1. A method for removing fibers from a fiber-reinforced composite material via electromagnetic radiation to prepare for a recycling process, the method comprising:

placing the fiber-reinforced composite material within a microwave chamber, the fiber-reinforced composite material comprising glass fibers within a polymer matrix;

causing the glass fibers to be expelled from the polymer matrix by exposing the fiber-reinforced composite material to variable-frequency electromagnetic radiation; and

separating the glass fibers from the polymer matrix to render the polymer matrix suitable for the recycling process.