Recycling in CW Articles, News and Products
CW's Latest Recycling Articles
JEC World 2024 highlights: Glass fiber recycling, biocomposites and more
Hannah Mason | CompositesWorldCW technical editor Hannah Mason discusses trends seen at this year’s JEC World trade show, including sustainability-focused technologies and commitments, the Paris Olympics amongst other topics.
Demonstrator project targets circularity solutions in carbon fiber composite sports equipment
Hannah Mason | CompositesWorldThe Carbon Fibre Circular Alliance (CFCA) brought together OEMs and technical partners to reclaim short carbon fibers from end-of-life sports equipment, realign into continuous prepreg tapes and remanufacture into new equipment.
Repurposing wind blades as functional community art pieces
Hannah Mason | CompositesWorldOhio-based Canvus Inc. upcycles fiberglass wind blades, car tires and post-consumer plastics to create outdoor furniture that amplifies sustainability messages in community spaces.
Urban furniture project demonstrates green potential for composite 3D printing and recycled materials
Hannah Mason | CompositesWorldLarge-format AM specialist Caracol and partners designed custom, 3D-printed outdoor furniture with glass fiber-reinforced recycled polypropylene, and conducted an LCA to evaluate and improve the process.
VIDEO: Sustainable pressure vessel systems for heavy-duty vehicles
Automotive and filament winding experts at Voith Composites showcased their Type IV hydrogen storage tanks at JEC 2023. These 350-liter pressure vessels, manufactured with recycled carbon fiber, are primarily designed for heavy-duty vehicles.
Recycling hydrogen tanks to produce automotive structural components
Hannah Mason | CompositesWorldVoith Composites and partners develop recycling solutions for hydrogen storage tanks and manufacturing methods to produce automotive parts from the recycled materials.
Recycling processes/materials in the news
Aitiip concludes HELACS project with waterjet cutting demonstration
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldNovel platform involving digital twin and human-robot collaboration succeeded in cutting a component from the 19th section of an A350 wing, highlighting its ability to enable composite structure recycling.
Fairmat opens first U.S. industrial facility in Utah
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldSalt Lake City state-of-the-art facility and office will enable a high-tech closed-loop ecosystem to recycle and repurpose composites in the U.S.
Sustainable Infrastructure Systems creates fiber-reinforced post-consumer plastic structural panels
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldAustralian composites manufacturer offers a scalable building solution, already established in a pedestrian bridge application, to tackle unprocessed soft plastics waste.
Exel Composites, Fairmat sign carbon fiber scrap repurpose deal
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldExel material waste will go through Fairmat’s reconstitution process to produce second-generation CFRP chips, enabling a closed-loop ecosystem.
Acciona to build wind blade recycling plant in Spain by 2025
Grace Nehls | MoldMaking TechnologyWaste2Fiber facility will use a proprietary thermal method to separate wind blade materials for reuse and will have a processing capacity of 6,000 tons of material/year.
UMaine researchers aim to recycle wind turbine blades as 3D printing material
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldWith a DOE grant in hand, UMaine’s ASCC seeks to develop an approach to recycle shredded wind turbine blade material as a cost-effective reinforcement and filler for large-scale 3D printing.
Swancor, Siemens Gamesa solidify recyclable wind blade partnership
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldSwancor will supply all recyclable resin to Siemens by 2026, contributing to RecylableBlade efforts.
HRC obtains GRS 4.0 certification for carbon-neutral carbon fiber products
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldTwo rCF materials and two finished rCF products maintain more than 90% performance retention rate, earn Global Recycled Standard (GRS) recognition.
Swancor, Massload jointly develop 100% recycled bicycle bottle cage
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldA blend of recycled carbon fiber and PA6 pellets, the bicycle component will be commercialized in Q1 2024.
Second EuReComp workshop explores technologies, strategies shaping composites recycling
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldThe event, taking place April 24, 2024, is a convergence of theory, practice and networking for attendees interested in the advancement of composites.
ORNL develops dynamically crosslinked CFRP, enabling closed-loop recycling
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldAt laboratory scale, functionalized CFRP thermosets can be “released” via heat or chemicals to reincarnate them back into their starting materials.
Broetje-Automation demonstrates rCF placement via AFP
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldThrough the ScrapSeRO project, the system integrator and machine builder successfully processed recycled composites, in addition to more traditional materials, via its highly flexible Staxx One system.
ReCarbon becomes commercialization partner for Fibertech Group
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldReCarbon will focus on providing a high-quality recycled carbon fiber-based product range, using Fibertech’s prepreg expertise.
Arkema aids in construction of 45-foot fishing boat using Elium
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldInshore vessel is the largest yet to incorporate the recyclable thermoplastic resin, promotes future sustainability in boat manufacturing.
Carbon Conversions partners with motorsports shop Vermont SportsCar
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldTo incorporate more environmentally conscious practices into its manufacturing processes, VSC is working with Carbon Conversions to reclaim, recycle and reuse its carbon fiber materials.
DOE announces Wind Turbine Materials Recycling Prize winners
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldTwenty U.S. teams from 15 states were selected for Phase 1 of funded efforts to develop, mature and commercialize recycling technologies for FRPs and rare earth elements used in wind turbines.
Vartega secures $10 million to promote recycled carbon fiber
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldAdditional equity financing led by Diamond Edge Ventures will drive EasyFeed Bundle applications, aid in commercializing additional recycling processes for advanced materials.
Acciona Energía, El Ganso develop shoes made with recycled wind blade materials
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldLimited-edition sneakers feature soles composed of micronized dismantled wind blades from a wind farm in Navarra, Spain.
Recycling materials products
Carbon Conversions offers 3D printing filament reinforced with rCF
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldDevelopment of re-Evo TDR products that work on a majority of 3D printers is now an available option for companies sending in their carbon fiber waste.
Fiber-reinforced 3D printing material brings sustainability, versatility
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldJEC 2024: Xenia Materials is unveiling Xegreen 23-C20-3DP, a 100% recycled PET-G carbon fiber-reinforced material grade for high-performance additive manufacturing.
Recyclable epoxy demonstrated for industry applications
Hannah Mason | CompositesWorldJEC World 2024: Swancor demonstrates its EzCiclo recyclable epoxy and recycling process in wind, sporting goods and automotive applications.
Swancor introduces eco-friendly epoxy hardener for PCB recyclability
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldThrough the use of EzCiclio low-dielectric epoxy hardener, PCB manufactures can make recyclable, reusable products for electronic applications.
Armacell improves rPET foam offerings with ArmaPET Struct GRX
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldStructural foam core entirely made from recycled plastic bottles imparts efficiency gains, cost optimization and a more sustainable outlook for sandwich structure production.
CompPair healable composites, recycled carbon fibers featured in ID Genève luxury watch
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldHealTech prepregs enable 400x faster regenerative properties for the new Circular C product, along with incorporation of industrial waste fibers for a sustainable touch.
ARIS introduces polymer-free ceramic composite
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldFireproof, lightweight ceramic material ALEC2 is highly sustainable, suitable for manufacturing a variety of aerospace products, as well as marine and other industries.
Recycled carbon veil designed to close carbon fiber lifecycle loop
Katie Leesemann | Gardner Business MediaCAMX 2023: Technical Fibre Products’ new nonwoven veil can be reused in composites, effectively closing the loop and providing a viable route for the recycling of fibers.
Complex recycled CFRTP parts demonstrate discontinuous fiber advantages
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldCAMX 2023: herone GmbH is showcasing a set of tubes, shafts and profiles, all of which demonstrate the feasibility of rCF discontinuous fibers molded into complex thermoplastic composite parts.
Recycled composite material lines target circular economy
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldCAMX 2023: Through its proprietary recycling process, Fairmat exhibits Fairmat Quest and Fairmat Infinity, advanced material products that are sustainable, high-performing, lightweight and ideal for aesthetic purposes.
Carbon fiber recycling to make composites more accessible, circular
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldCAMX 2023: Vartega is exhibiting several examples of high-strength thermoplastic parts incorporating its recycled carbon fiber, as well as highlighting a recent collaboration with Mito Materials.
PRF Composite Materials launches Reepreg composite
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldThe new sustainable prepreg material is made using recycled carbon fiber prepreg waste, is drapeable and can be easily handled.
GEHR presents compostable, recyclable wood-based 3D printing filament
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldEco-Fil-A-Gehr consists of recycled wood fibers mixed with biodegradable biopolymers, giving printed objects natural look and feel with dimensional stability and high elastic properties.
Spur offers Hardex structural foam core as alternative to low-weight cores in sandwich composites
Ginger Gardiner | CompositesWorldRecyclable, closed-cell XPP foam offers good properties, resistance, recycled content/recyclability and thermoformability, including fusion/welding with PP-based composite skins.
JEC World 2023 exhibit preview: Xenia Materials
Hannah Mason | CompositesWorldThe company is launching Xegreen, a product family of thermoplastic materials made from recycled fibers.
IFTH, Cetim and IPC present online guide for eco-design, recycling of composites
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldThe online guide, jointly produced by three French industrial technical centers active in the field of composites, maps the challenges and current options available for recycling in France.
CAMX 2022 exhibit preview: Armacell
Grace Nehls | MoldMaking TechnologyArmacell’s exhibit lineup emphasizes its wide range of eco-friendly PET foam solutions for composites manufacturing, including ArmaPET Struct, Eco, Curve and Shape.
Lanxess adds new sustainable product variants to Tepex composites range
Grace Nehls | CompositesWorldNovel composite matrices and fiber reinforcement based on green materials make up these Tepex product variants.