Strategy and management for the recycling of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) in the aircraft industry: a critical review

ABSTRACT

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) have attracted attention from the aerospace industry due to their light weight, excellent mechanical properties, and resistance to corrosion. However, CFRP composites are difficult to recycle as their recycling process must be performed under extreme conditions; end-of-life regulations do not directly address the problem with reusing these composites. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore solutions that minimize the use of CFRPs and prolong their useful life in the airline industry. To achieve this goal, this work conducted a review of the state of the art of CFRP fiber recycling, emphasizing the recycling processes, restrictions, and regulations. One solution is to develop a CFRP recycling market that would allow the sequential use of recycled materials among industries in descending order of the required structural performance of the composite.

KEYWORDS:

• Composites
• carbon fiber-reinforced polymers
• recycling
• aircraft industry
• management

Acknowledgment

This research was funded by the Research Chair in Management of Aeronautical Projects/UQTR. RKV thanks the CAPES for a scholarship and the PROAP program.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Research Chair in Management of Aeronautical Projects/UQTR. RKV thanks the CAPES for a scholarship and the PROAP program.