Documents published in Scipedia

• Composite sustainability for aviation - Problem or solution?

  T. Blanco Varela, E. Del Puerto Nevado, R. Ávila Domínguez

  Materiales Compuestos (2025). Vol. 09 - Comunicaciones MatComp25 (2025), (Núm. 2 - Reciclaje y Sostenibilidad), 47

  
  

  Abstract

  Composite materials have highly contributed to the reduction of CO2 emissions of last generation aircrafts, due to their lightweight capabilities. However, the environmental burden during composite raw material production, part manufacturing and waste treatment versus aluminium alloys has become a priority during recent years and needs to be addressed asap. This applies to current aircraft but above all to ensure that composites are the best material choice for future more conventional or breakthrough products based on sustainable aviation fuel or liquid hydrogen propulsion.This presentation has the intention to be a general and comprehensive overview of the current situation and opportunities regarding composite sustainability for commercial aeronautical sector, including: Problem understanding: composites are key for more sustainable aviation. As-is situation: raw material and part production, composite scrap treatment. Opportunities to develop more sustainable composites: biosourced composites and mass balance, substance compliance, industrial carbon footprint reduction, recycling technologies and recyclable resins. Some tips and recommendations about how to approach the development of more sustainable composites and what to prioritize from a technical point of view.

  Abstract
  Composite materials have highly contributed to the reduction of CO2 emissions of last generation aircrafts, due to their lightweight capabilities. However, the environmental [...]

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• New life for aeronautical dry carbon fiber

  A. Calero, T. Blanco Varela, J. Sistach

  Materiales Compuestos (2024). Vol. 08 - COMUNICACIONES MATCOMP21 (2022) Y MATCOMP23 (2023), (Núm. 4 - Sostenibilidad y Reciclaje), 18

  
  

  Abstract

  Our latest generation aircraft are more efficient by design, lighter and emit on average 25% less CO2 than previous generation aircrafts. Lightweight materials like composites have contributed significantly to reach the current emissions levels, like the A350 with more than 50% of structural weight made of composites. However, composites drive also the environmental footprint of the aircraft life-cycle without considering the operational phase, involving currently important drawbacks in terms of energy consumption and waste recycling. The transition towards a composite circular economy needs to be anticipated due to the aviation sector de-carbonization challenge as well as the regulation evolution. This transition will be leveraged by several elements, being the composite recycling one of the most important, due to the need to transform the composite waste from production and end of life into new added value materials. For this, the development of efficient composite recycling technologies to not only recover energy during incineration but also high value recycled carbon fibers and semi-products are needed. This project was focused on the recycling of dry carbon fiber scrap, which can proceed from part production by infusion technologies (e.g. RTM) or from pyrolysis of end of life composite part. The approach was to obtain a non-woven mat from the dry fiber scrap, following a mechanical process, which was, then, fully characterized to identify potential applications in aeronautical field. Different approaches of hybridization of the recycled non-woven fabric with virgin fabric were also evaluated.

  Abstract
  Our latest generation aircraft are more efficient by design, lighter and emit on average 25% less CO2 than previous generation aircrafts. Lightweight materials like composites [...]

  • 31
  •  read