Abstract:
Fiber-reinforced composite materials have high durability, strength and less weight. Among them, polymers reinforced with fiberglass stand out for being difficult to recycle. This work aimed to discover properties of othophtalic polyester with a different composition by thermal analysis. Three different resins were used, like pure polyester (PP), another reinforced with fiberglass (PV) and a third composed of fillers and fibers with no defined origin (refuse) submitted to thermal analysis as DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) and TGA (thermogravimetric analysis). The results showed that the greatest loss of mass of the tested materials occurred in the same temperture range (200-650°C), while the degradation temperature for PP, PV and refus is 362, 350, 348°C, respectively. The glass transition was similar (73,94; 70.07; 73.61), with changes in the enthalpy value (2.64; 2.19; 0.25). Thus, it is concluded that is possible to obtain the separation between fiber and matrix, allowing the reuse and recycling of othophtalic polyester reinforced with fiberglass.