Researchers at Washington State University have developed an efficient and environmentally friendly method for recycling wind turbine blades . The process allows fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP) to be reused without harsh chemicals, making it easier to convert it into stronger plastics.
Recycling wind turbine blades for stronger plastics
The new approach involves cutting the blades into small blocks and immersing them in an aqueous zinc acetate solution under moderate pressure and temperature. This technique breaks down thermosetting materials and allows both fibers and resins to be recovered in good condition . Unlike common thermoplastics, GRP composites are difficult to reprocess, so this solution represents a crucial breakthrough.
The researchers incorporated the recycled material into plastics like nylon, tripling its mechanical strength and increasing its rigidity eightfold. The new compound also performed well when combined with other consumer plastics like polypropylene . The study was published in the journal Resource, Conservation, and Recycling .
Commitment to circularity in renewable energies
Recycling wind turbine blade materials has become an urgent necessity in the face of the growing waste generated by the obsolescence of turbines manufactured in the 1990s. Each blade contains up to two-thirds of its weight in fiberglass, and up to 15% of the material is wasted during manufacturing.
The process developed by the university does not separate the components, but rather transforms them directly into new functional compounds . The ease with which the solvent can be recovered and reused further increases its sustainability and industrial viability. The team is already working on optimizing the process to operate at lower pressures and develop fully recyclable blades in the future.
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Source and photo: Washington State University
