Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV
Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV

Espresso | Recycled Carbon Fibers for Bicycle Handlebars

Highly aligned recycled carbon fiber nonwoven tapes for sustainable sports composites

Highly oriented thermoplastic tapes made from recycled carbon fibers

The aim of the project is to develop and process highly oriented thermoplastic tapes made from recycled carbon fibers (rCF) and tape scraps into so-called 2nd-life structural components. To this end, Fraunhofer IGCV manufactures oriented rCF semi-finished products based on wetlaid technology. These are then processed into consolidated thermoplastic rTapes by the partner companies “thermoPre” and “Held.”

In two parallel process routes, the use of oriented rTapes for flat thermoplastic and thermoset components is demonstrated. One example of a demonstrator is a bicycle handlebar stem unit manufactured using Herone technology. The resulting tape scraps are collected, processed, and reintegrated into the production process. This means that not only the fibers, but also their mechanical properties can be reused for new components.

Material development

The newly developed material is based on recycled carbon fibers with fiber lengths between 3 and 30 mm. Despite the shorter fiber length, the material is expected to achieve more than 75% of the mechanical properties (strength and stiffness) of comparable tapes made from virgin carbon fibers (vCF). The use of recycled fibers significantly improves the material's carbon footprint, reducing emissions to less than a quarter of the original value.

»Espresso« Individual Goal

Individual goals of »Espresso«

  • Sustainability: Reduction of CO₂ emissions by >75% compared to vCF; zero-waste approach through complete recycling of tape scraps.
  • Performance: Achieving over 75% of the mechanical properties of virgin tapes; manufacturing components with less than 2% porosity.
  • Processability: Expanded processing options such as deep-drawing capability and demonstration of the manufacture of profile and shell components.
  • Economic efficiency: Targeting a material price of less than €50/kg and developing an industrialization plan with partners.
© herone
Profiles made from highly oriented rCF wet laid tapes