Aerocircular, based at International Airport Ostend-Bruges, Belgium and UK firm ELG Carbon Fibre have joined forces in establishing a closed-loop recycling scheme for End-of-Life aircraft CFRP waste streams, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding between both companies.
Carbon fibre is a high strength, high stiffness material that when combined with an epoxy resin matrix creates a composite with exceptional mechanical properties. Next to aircraft, carbon fibre is being used in wind turbines, automobiles, sporting goods, and many other applications. A closed-loop recycling scheme implies a shift from carbon fibre as disposing waste towards a material that can be used for recovery and reproduction.
“Today, composite EoL fractions are typically shredded and burned or landfilled”, says Aerocircular chief executive Koen Staut. “By joining forces with ELG Carbon Fibre as an established international player in the field of carbon recycling, the ambition is to establish a closed-loop recycling process of our EoL aircraft carbon composite material stream, maximizing value via a joint approach in further developing the recycling process and new product development using this reclaimed carbon fibre.”