Closing the Loop: High-Performance Recycled Carbon Fibre

The composites industry faces a dual challenge: meeting sustainability targets while maintaining high mechanical performance. James Cropper’s breakthrough technology delivers on both fronts by transforming recycled carbon fibre (rCF) into highly aligned mats and tapes that rival the properties of virgin continuous fibre. 

Beyond sustainability, these mats tackle long-standing issues associated with traditional UD tapes, such as poor stability, drapability and handling. By combining high fibre orientation and packing fraction with nonwoven versatility, this innovation offers superior handling and processability—reducing production complexity and cost. 

This presentation will explore: 

• Innovative Alignment Technology: How fibre orientation and packing fraction enable performance similar to virgin UD.  

• Circular Economy Impact: Closing the loop on carbon fibre waste with traceability and zero-landfill objectives. 

• Hybridisation: Fibre agnostic processing technology gives manufacturers and partners freedom to design bespoke solutions, including the incorporation of thermoplastic fibres, low-melt resins, recycled blends and more.  

• Industrialization Pathways: Scaling aligned rCF for rapid manufacturing processes such as stamping, RTM, and additive manufacturing. 

Attendees will gain insights into technical breakthroughs, qualification strategies, and how aligned rCF can provide new pathways for the composites market to achiever sustainability goals