Post-consumer recycling of PA66-GF Composites from Electrical Waste: Performance Retention through Accelerated Aging Models

The recycling of post-consumer glass fiber-reinforced polyamide 6,6 (PA66-GF) composites from electrical equipment poses significant challenges due to material degradation after prolonged use and high-temperature exposure. This study investigates the recyclability and performance retention of PA66-GF composites simulating end-of-life (EoL) waste from low-voltage circuit breaker components. A simplified accelerated thermal aging model, based on an Arrhenius-type equation, was developed to examine the relationship between aging time, temperature, and the material's mechanical properties. This model was then used to age virgin PA66-GF specimens to a state representative of post-consumer waste after a 20-year service life in low-voltage circuit breakers. Comparative analyses were conducted on virgin, aged, and recycled PA66-GF samples to assess mechanical, thermal, electrical, and structural changes through various characterization methods, including tensile and flexural tests, Charpy impact tests, Comparative Tracking Index (CTI), glow wire tests, vertical flame burning tests, and SEM-EDX measurements. Testing revealed measurable declines in mechanical properties in aged samples, accompanied by changes in crystallinity and oxidation levels. Recycled aged samples, when incorporated back into new formulations at varying proportions, demonstrated that up to a specific threshold, recyclate could be reintroduced with minimal impact on key material properties. These results suggest an optimal percentage of aged/recycled content in new PA66-GF formulations that balances performance and sustainability goals, providing a practical approach for recycling EoL plastic components from electrical waste. This study underscores the feasibility of incorporating post-consumer recycled composites into circular material flows and offers a framework for recycling similar high-performance polyamide composites in industrial applications.