Expanding the Use of Recycled Carbon Fibers in Secondary Structures of Airplanes, Helicopters, and Trains

PROJECT COST:

705 000 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

141 000 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, Bombardier Aerospace, and Bombardier Transportation are joining forces with the CDCQ to validate the use of recycled carbon fibers in large composite parts. Bell Helicopter and Bombardier Aerospace use carbon fibers in their parts and generate waste during the manufacturing of these parts. These three industrial partners are seeking cost-effective solutions to reduce the weight of their parts, and incorporating recycled carbon fiber into their products could very well be the answer. Furthermore, environmental sustainability is a priority for everyone. Reducing their environmental footprint by developing a way to recycle carbon fibers that would otherwise end up in landfills is another step toward a circular economy model.

Many research and laboratory teams are attempting to repurpose carbon prepreg waste from the aerospace industry. However, these efforts have failed so far because suppliers of carbon composite parts have been unable to demonstrate that these materials are suitable for specific applications and that the supply chain is in place to support production over an extended period. Consequently, the first step is to build momentum for the local recycling of carbon fiber waste by demonstrating the value and performance of parts produced with these recycled materials. Once these facts are proven, it will be beneficial to reuse these fibers. Manufacturers will be able to recycle their own carbon fiber waste, consisting of scraps and offcuts from prepreg cutting.