Volume 64

Investigation on the Pyrolysis Mechanism of Epoxy Resin from Decommissioned Wind Turbine Blades via Experiments and Molecular Simulation Xiankun Huang, Xinyu Mu, Zhang Bai, Yong Wang, Lianlian Xu

Abstract

The efficient resource recovery of decommissioned wind turbine blades is a key challenge for the sustainable development of the wind power industry. Pyrolysis technology, as a promising recycling method, relies fundamentally on understanding the pyrolysis mechanism of the epoxy resin matrix. This study aims to reveal the pyrolysis behavior and reaction mechanisms of epoxy resin from decommissioned blades through a multi-scale approach integrating macro- and micro-scale investigations. Thermogravimetry–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) was employed to experimentally study the powdered blade material, obtaining macroscopic pyrolysis characteristics, kinetic parameters, and the evolution of gaseous products. Meanwhile, ReaxFF reactive force field molecular dynamics simulations were applied to construct an epoxy resin model and simulate its pyrolysis process, tracking bond breaking, generation of small molecular products, and reaction pathways at the atomic scale. The TG-FTIR results showed that the pyrolysis of epoxy resin mainly occurs in two stages, with the maximum mass loss peak at 428°C; the main gaseous products included CO, CO₂, H₂O, phenol, and various hydrocarbons. The molecular simulation results were highly consistent with the macroscopic experiments, not only reproducing the mass loss trend and main product categories but, more importantly, revealing that the initial pyrolysis reactions start with the cleavage of ether (C–O) and C–N bonds, and visually demonstrating the formation pathways of key products such as CO, CO₂, and H₂O. Through mutual validation and complementation between experiments and simulations, this study clarifies, for the first time from a multi-scale perspective, the pyrolysis mechanism of epoxy resin from decommissioned wind turbine blades, identifying initial reaction pathways and key weak bond sites. The research outcomes provide an important theoretical basis and data support for optimizing the pyrolysis process parameters of decommissioned blades and achieving directed conversion and high-value recovery.

Keywords Epoxy resin, Pyrolysis mechanism, ReaxFF molecular dynamics, TG-FTIR