Weight reduction and recyclability

AFTER recovering from the largest decline in the history of the carbon fibre industry in 2009, the market is poised for strong double-digit growth annually for the next five years, according to a report by the Research and Markets. In terms of value of shipment, the global carbon fibre market is expected to reach $3.3 billion by 2019 from $1.8 billion in 2013. Both industrial and aerospace markets are expected to witness annual double-digit growth. 

The growth in carbon fibre demand and production is fuelled by the requirements of leading industries for lightweight, yet high performance materials. Growing focus on recyclability has also given rise to new portfolio of materials meeting environment-friendly features.

The combination of manufacturing cost savings and ensure material recyclability prompted SABIC, Kringlan Composites, and other industry partners to work further in advancing the development of the world’s first thermoplastic composite wheel. This ground breaking innovation leverages SABIC’s proprietary Ultem resin and Kringlan’s proprietary three-dimensional composite design capabilities to create a material solution that can be used to replace traditional materials, such as metal and aluminium alloy, helping reduce weight and emissions, and potentially save manufacturing costs across industries from aerospace to automotive, and consumer goods.

Stability and strength combined

By combining SABIC’s high-performance Ultem resin with Kringlan’s proprietary three-dimensional manufacturing technology for carbon composites, OEMs are given the opportunity to enable reduced weight, lower production costs, as well as material recyclability. When compared to other thermoplastic materials, the Ultem resin composite concept offers superior strength at high temperatures, dimensional stability as well as resistance to chemicals.

To advance the wheel’s development, SABIC and Kringlan have been working on a prototype for a German automotive manufacturer. This innovative and lightweight wheel – the first of its kind in the world – is strong, light, stunning in design. The significant weight savings made possible through Kringlan’s revolutionary wheel design, coupled with the ground-breaking material technology employed, can improve fuel economy. The concept also offers a more sustainable solution. Not only can emissions associated with the vehicle’s use phase be reduced, but the wheel can be manufactured with less environmental impact compared to conventional processes and it offers full system recyclability.

SABIC’s Ultem is used in this innovative and lightweight wheel design

The design of the part also provides the flexibility for the wheel to be mounted with traditional metal spokes, or spokes with carbon fibre-reinforced Ultem resin composites, potentially enabling even greater weight savings.

The full composite wheel prototype complies with current standards set for metal wheels by the German testing institute TüV, enhancing the opportunity to work with additional global automotive OEMs for the prototyping of lightweight wheels according to their specific design and specifications.

Already, in the automotive industry alone, several OEMs have shown interest in the carbon composite wheel application, which can enable the reduction of CO2 from a passenger car by 2 to 3 percent.

Extending to multiple industries

Even when the first application of this new technology is being driven in the automotive industry, its potential reach extends to multiple industries where weight reduction is a key driver.

To illustrate this, in consumer appliances, OEMs are focused on designing their products to achieve energy efficiency certifications. With this carbon fibre composite using Ultem resin, appliance OEMs can replace metal with a lighter and equally strong technology, which can help to reduce the amount of energy used during operation and contribute to the energy efficiency performance required for certification.

In washing machines, for example, this new three-dimensional carbon fibre composite technology can reduce the inertia – the amount of energy needed – to start the machine drum moving, compared to current metal alternatives, which can mean greater efficiency, and potentially a lower carbon footprint for the machine. Additionally, by considering the use of the Ultem resin-based carbon fibre composites with Kringlan’s manufacturing technology, appliance manufacturers can potentially save costs by reducing the number of secondary operations required to develop key parts.

Recycled carbon nonwovens 

The recyclability of carbon fibre has been the focus of many new developments in another company’s portfolio. Technical Fibre Products has extended its range to include high quality recycled carbon veils and mats.

TFP has invested in developing the expertise and technology necessary to process carbon fibre recycled from various manufacturing processes and composite structures. This capability has been progressed over a number of years through working alongside partners such as Boeing, Ford, Toho Tenax and the University of Nottingham as part of Technology Strategy Board funded projects, such as AFRECAR and HIRECAR, to develop routes for carbon fibre recycling and processing.

High quality recycled carbon veils from TFP

As a result, TFP has taken the forefront in the dispersion and processing of single filament recycled carbon fibre for conversion into high quality wet-laid nonwovens. This capability enables the company to both support the world's leading carbon fibre manufacturers in the utilisation of their reclaimed fibre and to provide a means to close the loop on composite recycling and re-use.

The recycled carbon nonwovens can be produced from fibre reclaimed from composites by pyrolysis and integrated into a composite structure as a surfacing or semi-structural layer, ultimately providing a viable route for the recycling of fibres previously considered as waste.

TFP’s long term investment in this technology has enabled the development of a range of recycled carbon fibre veils and mats which offer comparable properties and quality to those manufactured with virgin fibre, with the added benefit of environmental sustainability.Chuck Taylor All Star