The Material
Worldwide, most efforts to re-use composites have focused on reclaiming the raw carbon fiber from waste, either through pyrolysis (burning off resins) or solvolysis (dissolving off resins with solvent). These are challenging and energy/chemical intensive processes. As a result, the output product (fibers to which resin must be added to make a new product) hasn’t met pricing expectations and companies have been slow to reach commercial scale operations.
The CRTC's approach is different. We are focusing on collecting and re-using uncured
pre-preg, which is ready to process into product.
Later on, we plan to expand to address recycling at later stages of the material lifecycle. We feel that starting with uncured material first is a prudent and low-risk approach to develop a niche in this emerging marketplace.
The Companies
The Composites Recycling Technology Center is currently seeking companies to use the facility to work with the carbon fiber pre-preg. If you are interested in exploring a partnership, please submit an inquiry.
