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Speaking of the market, the automotive industry seems most likely to use recycled carbon fiber
.
Due to its advantages such as light weight and good surface quality at the same time, this material is naturally suitable for body panels, not to mention various interior components
.
For a long time, commercial suppliers of recycled carbon fiber have been staring at the automotive industry with bated breath, hoping for widespread application here, but the turning point has not yet come, and processing cycle and cost issues are still stumbling blocks that hinder the application of carbon fiber in this industry
.
But Mark Mauhar, CEO of Carbon Conversions in the United States, believes that these concerns are just an excuse given the progress that has been made.
In fact, the main obstacle to the entry of recycled carbon fiber into any market is risk aversion
.
"No one wants to be the first to adopt a new material ecosystem
.
Carbon Conversions' re-Evo MCF nonwoven felt was used to make the prepreg for the door panel.
"It pays to be used wisely in the car,
" he said, "to pick and choose specific parts on specific models that make sense
.
Mauhar hopes that cars will be the first major market to consume a significant portion of the available recycled carbon fiber
.
In conclusion, composites are working hard to gradually enter the automotive industry in the form of components such as battery boxes, high-pressure gas tanks, leaf springs and even tailgate systems
.
It makes sense to follow the same trajectory for recycled carbon fiber
.
This moulded automotive floor is made from Carbon Conversions' re-Evo MCF nonwoven felt
An interesting example of a niche approach is the UK-based company ProDrive Composites, a manufacturer of advanced lightweight composites for automotive, racing, aerospace and defence applications, which has been collaborating with the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC for short).
) and ELG on its P2T (Primary To Tertiary) process, a new process that uses reactive thermoplastic resins to make recyclable composite parts
.
In the presence of regenerated fibers, plastic monomers react with catalysts to produce cured laminates
.
Samples of third-party parts produced using ProDrive Composites' P2T process
"We have demonstrated that recyclable composite panels can be produced at speeds and costs suitable for many industries,
" said John McQuilliam, chief engineer at ProDrive Composites
.
According to the company, the P2T process allows the composite to be recycled three or more times
.
At the end of the initial part's useful life, the fibers and possibly resin can be recycled to provide the raw material for a thermoplastic secondary part, such as a body panel
.
When the part is at the end of its useful life, it can be shredded and remolded into a new part
.
Meanwhile, Vartega is leading an automotive-focused project in partnership with the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovations (IACMI)
.
The two-year technical collaboration aims to meet the challenge of creating thermoplastic composites of consistent quality, reinforced with recycled carbon fibers, for vehicle lightweighting applications
.
According to Maxey, the project is building a robust database to provide complete material properties, from fiber interfaces to properties of finished parts
.
Of course, considering the automotive industry, the best bet may be related emerging technologies—electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and vehicle connectivity—that bring new component application opportunities to play the role of composites
.
Talking about where the auto industry is headed, Maxey said: "A lot has happened in the auto industry over the past few years, and the focus has been on shifting from fuel economy to other priority areas that depend on regulations and government decisions
.
We are still Not seeing any significant setbacks in lightweighting, I think you're going to see a focus on lightweighting in mobile applications in this industry
.
"
