Carbon Fiber Conversion GmbH uses an in-house developed, cost-effective carbon fiber conversion process capable to convert carbon fiber waste into free-flowing carbon fiber.
Our recycled free flowing carbon fibers have been in industrial large-scale use for more than 10 years. Common uses are thermoplastic compounds for injection moulding, additive manufacturing as well as 3D printing filaments.
Our recycled carbon fiber products have been incorporated into thousands of tons of technical compounds with filler contents up to 40%. The carbon fiber can be fed on gravimetric feeders with a feeding accuracy of +/- 1%. The mechanical performance of the compounds with recycled carbon fiber are close to compounds with virgin carbon fiber, but with the advantage of considerably lower costs.
As a result of lower costs and thus pricing for our customers, carbon fiber gained new industrial use, opening new markets.
We currently convert more than 1500 tons (3.3 million lbs) of carbon fiber waste per year. The total capacity of the current plant exceeds 5000 tons (11 million lbs) year, leaving enough capacity for further growth.
On top of the economic benefits is a highly positive environmental advantage: our process requires less than 1% of the energy that is required to produce virgin carbon fiber, making the recycled carbon fiber an environmentally friendly product.
Our process is capable to utilize dry carbon fiber waste material in all shapes as input materials (multi-axial, woven and non-woven textile waste, filaments including endless filaments as well as carbon fiber from bobbins).
We also use carbon fiber produced by Pyrolysis as well as Solvolysis (with moisture levels exceeding 5%) as input materials.
Sizing of the recycled carbon fiber for optimal surface adhesion is also part of our portfolio.
Recycled carbon fiber is sourced from waste carbon fiber generated as a result of the processing of thermoset carbon fiber-reinforced composites and various dry fiber and prepreg scrap sources.
Around 30% of carbon fiber produced ends up as waste during the production of carbon fiber-based end products. Recycled carbon fibers exhibit similar properties as virgin carbon fiber, including high tensile strength, resistance to chemicals, low thermal expansion, and lightweight.
The market for recycled carbon fiber is growing as shown on the graph bellow:
Source: MRFR Analysis
The reason for that growth is based on the following market drivers:
based on the following market drivers:
Our redefined milled carbon fiber offers an alternative low-cost to virgin material for automotive and industrial applications, maintaining the same mechanical properties as virgin carbon fiber however to a lower cost compared to virgin material.
