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CSIRO and Deakin University launch wet spinning line

27 Feb '17

2 min read

Courtesy: CSIRO

A wet spinning line with the capability of making carbon fibres has been launched near Geelong in Australia. With the new plant, Australia for the first time has the capacity to produce carbon fibre from scratch and at scale. Researchers from CSIRO and Deakin University created what could be the next generation of carbon fibre that is of a higher quality.

The carbon fibre has been created using patented CSIRO technology. Carbon fibre combines high rigidity, tensile strength and chemical resistance with low weight and is used in aerospace, civil engineering, the military, cars, and also in competitive sports.

"This facility means Australia can carry out research across the whole carbon fibre value chain: from molecules, to polymers, to fibre, to finished composite parts. Together with Deakin, we have created something that could disrupt the entire carbon fibre manufacturing industry,” said Dr Anita Hill, director of CSIRO Future Industries.

"The development is a great example of what Deakin and CSIRO could achieve together, for the benefit of all of Australia. Our two organisations share a long-standing and distinguished bond, one that our new Strategic Relationship Agreement (SRA) deepens even further. Together, we are conducting industry focussed research with a profound and lasting impact, from the communities we serve, through to the world," said professor Jane den Hollander AO, vice-chancellor, Deakin University.

The wet spinning line machinery takes a sticky mix of precursor chemicals and turns it into 500 individual strands of fibre, each thinner than a human hair. They are then wound onto a spool to create a tape and taken next door to the massive carbonisation ovens to create the finished carbon fibre.

The CSIRO/Deakin wet spinning line was custom built by an Italian company with input from the organisations’ own researchers. The company liked the design so much it made another for its own factory and the CSIRO/Deakin machine has been described as 'the Ferrari of wet spinning lines', informed a CSIRO press release.

“This is a great example of how collaboration in the Australian research sector can accelerate research, lead innovation and provide new job opportunities. Geelong already has a global reputation for industrial innovation. Initiatives such as this enhance that standing,” said Craig Laundy MP, assistant minister for industry, innovation and science while launching the facility. (KD)

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