A Singaporean company has developed new technology to recycle high-quality carbon fiber from decommissioned aircraft.
Recently, Nandina REM, as a member company of Singapore's A*STAR Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre, launched a new technology for recycling high-quality carbon fiber materials from decommissioned aircraft.
The company stated that these materials will be supplied to manufacturers for various products, including aircraft galley kitchens and seats. By recycling high-value materials from decommissioned aircraft, Nandina REM will enable the market to access ultra-low emission, high-quality carbon fiber composites, which can rival the quality of original materials while being more cost-effective.
It was also mentioned that this new method addresses the longstanding challenge of ensuring that recycled carbon fiber maintains the same mechanical properties as original carbon fiber. Historically, recycled carbon fiber has been difficult to use as a composite material because it cannot simply be melted down and remolded; traditional processes compromise the integrity and quality of the materials, making them unsuitable for high-end applications. By recovering high-value materials from decommissioned aircraft, the market can gain a new source of ultra-low emission, high-quality carbon fiber composites that match the quality of original materials at a lower cost.
"An estimated 8,000 decommissioned aircraft are sitting in deserts, jungles, and scrapyards around the world, and these planes will never be used again. In the next decade, approximately 15,000 more aircraft will be retired," Nandina stated.
She added, "The scale in Asia is also significant, with the region holding the largest share of aircraft. By 2050, the aviation industry is expected to generate a cumulative total of 102,500 tons of unused waste carbon fiber."
Karina Cady, CEO of Nandina REM, stated, "Recycling high-quality circular materials from decommissioned aircraft is a key achievement for the industry that will open up numerous possibilities for aviation and advanced manufacturing. With this technology, Cady estimates that post-processing decommissioned aircraft could remove 82 million tons of carbon dioxide.
"Creating a high-value circular supply chain makes sense for both the planet and businesses," she said. "Aviation recycling means we can keep high-quality materials like carbon fiber within the high-performance value chain. We no longer have to rely on extracting more raw materials from the environment."
