Together with partners such as CEAMS (Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability), we’re developing processes that could transform the recycled carbon fibre supply chain ⬛♻️ Find out more below ⬇️
💭 Did you know that despite demand for carbon fibre continuously outpacing supply, we still lack effective #recycling supply chains for carbon fibre waste? ♻️ CEAMS (Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability) and its partners, like National Composites Centre, are helping to catalyse innovation in carbon fibre recycling by driving solutions for sustainable recovery and reuse. ➡️ Learn how we're advancing carbon fibre recycling: https://lnkd.in/eTR4Jr79 CPI Henry Royce Institute The University of Manchester MTC - Manufacturing Technology Centre National Composites Centre High Value Manufacturing Catapult National Physical Laboratory (NPL) Rochdale Development Agency #CarbonFibre #CarbonFibreRecycling #Materials #AdvancedMaterials #CEAMS
There are several companies around the world that reclaim carbon fibre, we should know we take these reclaimed fibres and align into UD.
I'm not so sure we lack effective recycling methods for carbon fibre waste. There are at least two companies I can think of who might agree with that statement. I think what the composites industry is actually lacking are the industrial scale pilot studies that prove that relevant and appropriate surplus composite feedstock can be processed by recycling technologies, which largely exist today, and that can deliver financially viable demonstrations of lower environmental impact supply chains based on recycled materials. Preferably those financially viable low environmental impact supply chains would return appropriate materials back to the industries that originated them so that they can be reintegrate into the supply chains that ultimately created the surplus material. It's easy to dream, it's harder to deliver and the work described here is a good beginning. What does the middle and the end of the story look like?
I applaud the initiative – we need more investment into innovation and solutions. A circular economy with carbon fibre is only as good as the value proposition and business case for generational carbon fibre. Both are challenged by the lack of real value new product forms to date, delivering a solid foundation for attractive business cases without violating the very fundamental principles of composite engineering and structures. We also tend to ignore the two distinct steps in CFRP recycling: Fibre recovery and conversion into market relevant new intermediates. Fibre recovery has been successfully resolved and industrialised. Conversion into new products is surprisingly still in its infancy. Only intermediates with a real technical AND commercial value proposition can deliver a positive business case. Getting our basics right: We are currently facing a significant over supply of primary fibre at prices challenging the cost structure of the legacy supply chain from new market entrants. This tectonic shift has direct implications on the financials of generational product forms – hence the need for real USPs.
Thanks for your comments Jon Meegan and Gary Owen - we completely agree on the importance of developing composites recycling supply chains and have updated the original post to ensure our message clearly communicates this.