FibreCycle

The FibreCycle project aims to develop processes for recovering and recycling carbon fibre and reusing it in high value products.
The approach involves recovering carbon fibre from all stages of manufacture and developing reprocessing techniques within a representative supply chain. The benefits of the project will be the recovery of high value carbon fibres from waste, reduction of landfill, addressing material supply shortages, lower cost carbon fibre feedstock and novel property combinations.

The project has successfully developed a new generation of high performance, low cost co-mingled carbon fibre yarns and fabrics. The yarns and fabrics are blended carbon/PET, manufactured from virgin recovered carbon fibre that would otherwise have gone to landfill. These new materials have almost 100% of the stiffness of virgin materials, but they can be offered at a lower cost than similar products currently available on the market. They are also beneficial to the environment and retain the traceability of virgin materials.

Project partner list:

• Advanced Composites Group
• Exel
• NetComposites
• Sigmatex
• Tilsatec
• University of Leeds

Website address: www.fibrecycleproject.org.uk

Acknowledgment of research body: Technology Strategy Board's Collaborative Research and Development programme.