Closing the loop on automotive carbon fiber prepreg manufacturing scrap-fender case study

Abstract

This case study demonstrates the successful use of recycled automotive carbon fiber in a thermoplastic injection molding automotive application. Vartega and project partners have shown that a closed-loop supply chain for automotive composites is viable. The source of the feedstock for recycling was unidirectional prepreg that was produced by Michigan State University (MSU) at the IACMI Scale-up Research Facility (SuRF) in Detroit, Michigan. Prepreg trim scrap was sent by MSU to Vartega in Golden, CO for recycling, value-added formatting, and fiber optimization via sizing application. The recycled carbon fiber (rCF) was then sent to Techmer in Clinton, TN for compounding at 10% loading in PA66. The finished compound was returned to the SuRF for injection molding into an automotive fender by MSU. The finished part exhibited excellent surface finish. Additional development is ongoing via IACMI Project 6.20 to produce 40% recycled carbon fiber reinforced PA66 for structural applications.