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Germany's Covestro collaborating with carboNXT to recycle composites

14 Jun '21

2 min read

Pic: Covestro

Covestro has joined hand with recycling specialist carboNXT to recycle composites. Recycling of composites is a challenge since waste consists of different materials that cannot be easily separated from one another. From the processed waste supplied by Covestro, CarboNXT will produce high-quality new compounds of carbon fibre-reinforced polycarbonate.

The Maezio brand of continuous fibre-reinforced polycarbonate composites (CFRTPs) developed by Covestro are characterised by extremely light weight, very high strength and exceptional flexibility of design. This means that waste generated during the production of composites also becomes a valuable raw material. However, because they consist of different materials that cannot be easily separated from one another, the recycling of composites is a challenge.

Covestro is cooperating with recycling specialist carboNXT on this. It has developed a process that allows the waste to be processed on an industrial scale.

"We are very excited about this joint solution, as we cannot process the materials ourselves for technical reasons," explains Lisa Ketelsen, head of Thermoplastic Composites at Covestro. "By recycling according to type at our partner's plant, the raw materials can be converted back into valuable products with similarly good properties as those characteristic of virgin materials. The recycling of materials makes it possible to use them again in other products. In this way, we save raw material resources and contribute to the focus on the circular economy."

"Our company has many years of experience in recycling carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastics and has the necessary plant technologies to process such waste. We were therefore the partner of choice for this task," says Tim Rademacker, general manager at Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials and responsible for the carbon fibre recycling business. "From the processed waste, we produce high-quality new compounds of carbon fibre-reinforced polycarbonate for Covestro at CarboNXT."

There is high demand for such recycled products because they are valuable raw materials, even as more and more industrial customers and consumers are looking for more sustainable products. The project will now be further developed to market maturity by Covestro, Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials and possibly other partners. The project is part of a global strategic programme in which Covestro is focusing on circular economy.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SV)