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Researchers develop recycled carbon fibre composites

26 Feb '16

2 min read

A team of researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) has developed cost effective recycled carbon fibre composites which are stronger than steel and lighter than aluminum into new material just as robust as the original, according to a press release by the university.

The researchers' (Philip Taynton, Huagang Ni, Chengpu Zhu, Kai Yu, Samuel Loob, Yinghua Jin, H Jerry Qi and Wei Zhang) findings was published online in the journal “Advanced Materials”.

The finding states that recycling the carbon fibre composites simply requires soaking the composite in an organic solution at room temperature making it an energy efficient and eco-friendly process. The CU-Boulder team's carbon fibre composite can be quickly fabricated in 60 seconds while most of the carbon fibre composites previously took an hour to cure.

“We reuse all of the stuff that we recycle, that we reclaim. There is nothing we have to throw away,” said Philip Taynton claiming complete recyclability can be achieved of both the glue and the carbon fibre.

The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Colorado Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant programme. The University of Colorado Boulder's technology transfer office has filed a US patent application for the research. (NA)

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