Recycled carbon fibrerCF

A reinforcement fibre produced by carbonising a precursor, most commonly polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or pitch, to give continuous filaments composed largely of carbon. It offers very high stiffness and strength for its weight and is the principal reinforcement in high performance composites. Grades are commonly described by modulus class, such as standard, intermediate and high modulus.

Recycling that breaks polymers down into monomers, oligomers or other chemical feedstocks, for example by solvolysis or pyrolysis, so that new polymer can be made or embedded fibres recovered. It is a key route for reclaiming carbon fibre from manufacturing waste and end-of-life composite components.

Recycling by physical processes such as shredding, grinding and re-melting or re-compounding, without breaking the polymer down chemically. Thermoplastics can often be re-melted into new products, whereas thermoset composites typically yield ground filler or short fibre fractions for lower-grade uses.

The stage in a product's life cycle when it is removed from service and must be reused, recycled, recovered or disposed of. End-of-life scenarios are a required consideration in life cycle assessment and increasingly influence material selection for composites and roofing systems.