New high-performance functionalised materials / High value-added solutions for strategic markets
REUSE OF CARBON FIBRES FOR THE CREATION OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES
rGENERA II
Motivation
The rapid development of the carbon fibre composites industry in recent years makes it necessary the introduction of new manufacturing techniques to allow the fibres to be recovered and reused at the end of their useful life.
AITEX aims to create a knowledge base on the recycling of carbon fibre (rCF) thermoplastic composites with medium to high mechanical performance using staple fibre spinning technologies. The adaptation of these technologies will facilitate the reindustrialisation of the staple fibre processing and spinning industry, in Valencia and Spain, diversifying its traditional markets and seeking synergies with the composites sector.
Objectives
- Reuse of carbon fibres for the creation of carded, spun and woven textile articles, which can then be used in the manufacture of thermoplastic composites.
- Start-up of the pilot line and optimisation of parameters.
- Optimisation of the carding process (search for maximum % rCF fibre).
- Optimisation of the spinning process (search for maximum fibre % rCF).
- Optimisation of the hybridisation of the resulting yarns:
- Increased yarn strength.
- Optimisation of the matrix fibre / reinforcement fibre ratio.
- Innovative structures (braiding, friction, twisted, braided and melt-coating).
- Development and production of fabrics with innovative structures and weaves:
- Double fabrics (increased grammage).
- Textile structures that improve adaptability in moulding.
- Development of unidirectional tapes (similar to TOW-SPREAD):
- From hybrid carding tape by thermal bonding and cutting.
- Weaving of unidirectional and tubular tapes.
Expected results
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The creation of yarns and nonwovens with the maximum admissible percentage of recycled carbon fibre.
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The creation of hybrid openwork fabrics with structures and textile weaves that maximise adaptability in the thermocompression moulding process.
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The production of hybrid textile intermediates, such as unidirectional and tubular tapes, for the production of rCF fibre tapes and tow-spreads.
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The validation of the mechanical and thermal behaviour and processability of composites obtained by thermocompression.
Grant number: IMAMCA/2022/6
Programme: Plan of non-economic activities 2022
Period of execution: January 2022 – December 2022
Status: Finished
More information: PLAN OF ACTION
Entity: IVACE
This project is funded by the Conselleria d’Economia Sostenible, Sectors Productius, Comerç i Treball de la Generalitat Valenciana, through IVACE.
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R&D AREAS
New high-performance functionalised materials
Circular economy and sustainability
Advanced manufacturing, smart textiles and digitalisation
High value-added solutions for strategic markets
RELATED PROJECTS
NEWS
AITEX was present at the CITEVE iTechStyle Summit presenting the European project r-LightBioCom of which the center is the main coordinator.
Coordinated by the Spanish AITEX, the project promotes a paradigm shift from current linear to circular value chains for advanced, bio-based lightweight high-performance composites with significantly improved environmental performance.
AITEX works in research lines financed by IVACE that provide high-value solutions and tools to make companies more competitive.
