Fundamentals for reinforcements made from recycled carbon fibers

Project data

Short report

© Stefan Minar

Fiber composites or plastics made of carbon or carbon fibers (CFRP) and glass fibers (GFRP) are increasingly finding new areas of application in all parts of life in the Federal Republic of Germany and worldwide. Due to their very high performance, low weight and resistance to external influences, they are making a particular contribution to reducing the consumption of resources and increasing economic strength. The spectrum ranges from ultralight glasses to household and leisure appliances or applications in the wind power, automotive, marine, aerospace industries. Other applications include semi-finished products (reinforcements, etc.) in building construction, civil engineering and structural engineering.

When components of fiber composites cannot be directly reused, waste containing fibers is generated. Waste from fiber composites does not only occur at the end of their lifecycle, but already during the production of fibers and yarns, during the production of semi-finished products and the fiber composites themselves. At present, however, there are no technical and organizational processes available for extensive material recycling of the fiber fractions, as there are for metallic materials, for example. Furthermore, there is a lack of marketable products made from recycled fibers, which is both a risk and an opportunity.

The concept for the project "WIRreFa | WIR! recyceln Fasern" (We! recycle fibers) elaborated the vision and objectives. Furthermore, it measures to significantly increase the regional innovation capacity by expanding the recycling and resource management of fiber composites, thus creating perspectives for further growth and employment. As an impulse generator, the WIRreFa project will initiate this so important change by further developing the existing regional strengths in and around the Free State of Saxony. The many different institutions actively involved in the project will not only optimize materials, collect and bundle waste streams, collect and process waste by type, develop new products and training concepts. It will also help the entire region to identify with this topic of the future.

The value statement emerging from the concept is: The circular and resource economy for fiber composites developed for the region "Elbtal Sachsen" (Elbe valley Saxony) strengthens the development opportunities locally by completing existing processes of the circular value chains and initiating new developments instead of outsourcing them from the region "Elbtal Sachsen". This improves regional (economic) resilience and variability and creates long-term prospects for growth and employment.