Recycling
Recycled carbon fiber: Its time has come
Impressive industry growth puts a new emphasis on the role of carbon fiber recycling.
Read MoreComposites recycling becomes a necessity
Boeing and Airbus each is generating as much as a 1 million lb of cured and uncured carbon fiber prepreg waste each year from 787 and A350 XWB production. If you include the entire supply chain for these planes, the total is closer to 4 million lb/year. And with the automotive industry poised to consume (and waste) more carbon fiber than ever, recycling of composite materials has become an absolute necessity. The technology is there, but the markets are not. Yet.
Read MoreCan we make recycled carbon fiber “sexy”?
Although we have methods to create useful product forms from recovered fiber, creating demand for those products will require new entrepreneurial effort.
Read MoreIf we recycle it, will they come?
Thanks to the 787 and the A350 XWB aircraft programs, the composites industry has more scrap carbon fiber prepreg than it knows what to do with. At least, not yet.
Read MoreRecycled carbon fiber proves its potential for aircraft interiors
An Airbus-led team characterizes RCF veils and shows their ability to best glass fiber composite sidewalls in cost, weight and surface finish.
Read MorePort Angeles Composite Recycling Technology Center wins federal grant
The $2 million from the US Department of Commerce will retrofit a building in Port Angeles, WA, US, to house the industrial and training facilities for the Composite Recycling Technology Center (CRTC).
Read MoreMaking carbon fiber green
Composite Recycling Technology Center is being established in Washington State.
Read MoreRecycling carbon fiber for structural applications
Research aims to characterize recycled carbon fiber (RCF) for use in aero interiors and also to recycle continuous carbon fiber.
Read MoreRecycled carbon fiber: Comparing cost and properties
Alex Edge, sales and business development manager for recycler ELG Carbon Fibre (Coseley, U.K.), says his company’s recycled carbon fiber (RCF) products can offer from 30 to 40 percent cost savings vs. virgin carbon fiber (VCF). Tim Rademacker, a managing director at competitor CFK Valley Recycling (Stade, Germany) cites savings of 20 to 30 percent.
Read More