Non-woven, recycled carbon fibre composites : development of test methods and assessment of process parameters
type: CreativeWork
description: The embodied energy of carbon fibre is as high as that of aluminium yet the disposal of composite waste presents a challenge for the circular economy. The sustainable use of carbon fibre could be achieved with its reuse in recycled carbon fibre composites. However, their reinforcement architecture is quite different from that of virgin carbon fibre composites. Recycled carbon fibres are generally discontinuous, chopped, fluffy, and entangled requiring further processing. However, their transformation into non-woven textile fabrics and then to cured laminates, has recently become an efficient, cost-effective technique that makes the whole carbon fibre recycling process viable. The development of new materials is generally followed by rigorous material qualification practices to validate their use in intended applications. It is essential therefore to develop reliable datasets to understand their capabilities and mechanical behaviour. Much of the standardised macro-scale test methods for composite characterisation were developed for continuous, fibre-reinforced composite systems and their applicability to non-woven, recycled carbon fibre composites is a gap in knowledge that needs to be addressed. This research identified and adapted experimental test methods that can objectively quantify key material properties for design purposes. On identification of suitable test protocols, a comprehensive experimental programme encompassing tension, shear, fatigue and environmental durability of particular recycled carbon fibre/epoxy composites was undertaken. The project also assessed the effect of fundamental recycling process variables on moulded composite static and fatigue behaviour. It was found that the reinforcement architecture played a significant role in the mechanical behaviour of recycled carbon fibre composites. Test procedures were adapted or modified with significance given to test geometry, load path and failure characteristics. A specification defining appropria…
abstract: The embodied energy of carbon fibre is as high as that of aluminium yet the disposal of composite waste presents a challenge for the circular economy. The sustainable use of carbon fibre could be achieved with its reuse in recycled carbon fibre composites. However, their reinforcement architecture is quite different from that of virgin carbon fibre composites. Recycled carbon fibres are generally discontinuous, chopped, fluffy, and entangled requiring further processing. However, their transformation into non-woven textile fabrics and then to cured laminates, has recently become an efficient, cost-effective technique that makes the whole carbon fibre recycling process viable. The development of new materials is generally followed by rigorous material qualification practices to validate their use in intended applications. It is essential therefore to develop reliable datasets to understand their capabilities and mechanical behaviour. Much of the standardised macro-scale test methods for composite characterisation were developed for continuous, fibre-reinforced composite systems and their applicability to non-woven, recycled carbon fibre composites is a gap in knowledge that needs to be addressed. This research identified and adapted experimental test methods that can objectively quantify key material properties for design purposes. On identification of suitable test protocols, a comprehensive experimental programme encompassing tension, shear, fatigue and environmental durability of particular recycled carbon fibre/epoxy composites was undertaken. The project also assessed the effect of fundamental recycling process variables on moulded composite static and fatigue behaviour. It was found that the reinforcement architecture played a significant role in the mechanical behaviour of recycled carbon fibre composites. Test procedures were adapted or modified with significance given to test geometry, load path and failure characteristics. A specification defining appropria…
author: Krishna Kumar, Karthik
language: en
date published: 2020
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:42:35Z
provider: Oxford Brookes University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Oxford Brookes University

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.24384/mz6w-2t28