Currently, manufacturers of aeronautical composite materials generate 20 to 30% of waste consisting of unimpregnated carbon fibres and carbon fibre prepreg that is pre-impregnated with polymer resin during the manufacturing process.
To date, most of this waste is currently either buried or incinerated because there are no technologies available to recover or utilize it . Nevertheless, both treatment/disposal options are harmful from an environmental and economic point of view.
The focus has mainly been on recycling carbon fibres from polymerized waste generated during production or at the end of the product's life cycle. However, it is crucial to also consider recovering carbon fibres from the manufacturing stage, such as offcuts and expired rolls, as these materials still hold significant value.
The RePrec project (Recycling of post-production waste containing carbon fibre reinforcement) plans to study and develop recycling methods aimed at recovering this waste according to its nature.
- As part of production waste in the form of non-preg carbon fibres and non-polymerised prepregs, the project aims to design, develop, and evaluate a recycling method that utilizes the patchwork technique to reintegrate these scraps into industrial manufacturing processes. This method will be particularly suitable for applications that require high added value but have lower mechanical performance compared to aerospace applications.
- In cases where the polymerized scraps cannot be reused in the patchwork structure, a chemical recycling method will be employed.
The innovative aspects of the project are:
- Recovery of post-production waste based on carbon fibres in the form of patchwork;
- Development of new composite materials with a patchwork structure and controlled properties, using design software;
- Reduction of environmental and economic costs.
Consortium
- as coordinator, the Centexbel research centre, a specialist in fibrous materials, textile reinforcement, and composites;
- the Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences via its technology platform P2C, specialist in resin behaviour studies, materials chemistry, and composites.
Companies are also involved in the project
