(285h) Turbine-Blade-Glass-Fiber Crystallization Influence on Polyacrylonitrile Fibers

This study explores the reinforcing potential of waste turbine-derived glass fibers (WT-GF) in polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based composite fibers. A comprehensive characterization was conducted using tensile testing, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to assess the mechanical, thermal, and structural effects of glass fiber incorporation. Tensile testing of high draw ratio fibers demonstrated notable enhancements in both modulus and tensile strength for the composite fibers compared to neat PAN fibers. Thermal analysis via DSC and TGA revealed improved thermal stability and altered crystallization behavior. XRD was employed to evaluate the degree of crystallinity and crystallite size of the PAN matrix, with patterns showing diffraction peaks near 2θ ≈ 17° and 29.5°, indicative of changes in crystallite dimensions and chain alignment due to WT-GF templating. These findings support our hypothesis that the reuse of wind turbine blade waste can result in high-performance, sustainable composite materials.