“Magnetic carbon fibre” for multifunctional composites with improved recyclability

Abstract

The sustainable management of carbon fiber (CF) waste has become increasingly imperative due to the rising demand for carbon fiber-reinforced composites across diverse industries. Conventional recycling methods, such as pyrolysis, face significant challenges, including the complex and costly separation of composite constituents and the difficulty of realigning reclaimed CF, which is typically discontinuous. Herein, we introduce a scalable strategy for imparting magnetic functionality to carbon fibers, facilitating their efficient reclamation and reuse. Our approach involves the initial surface functionalization of CF, followed by electrochemical deposition of covalently bound iron oxide coat..