The UK National Composites Centre (NCC) has secured funding from the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DIST) to establish the country's first research and development line for carbon fiber precursor silk and carbonization, a move set to revolutionize the production of carbon fiber. Cygnet Texkimp, located in Northwich, UK, is entrusted with the design and construction of these state-of-the-art research lines.
This pioneering carbon fiber production R&D line in the UK is intended to drive innovation in carbon fiber manufacturing within an open environment, offering benefits across the entire supply chain, from chemical suppliers to researchers, manufacturers, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
NCC's CEO, Richard Oldfield, expressed his gratitude to DSIT for supporting this national asset, highlighting NCC's ongoing commitment to exploring and investing in new capabilities that will make an impact and unlock future investments. "We are collaborating with academia, research and technology organizations, government, and industry to maximize the impact of this strategic technology on the composites industry," Oldfield stated.
The new facility will be capable of producing precursor and carbon fiber tows at an industrial scale, with continuous processes and a production volume sufficient for the manufacturing and testing of composite materials on a smaller scale. This capability is deemed crucial for testing new concepts at scale before they can be upscaled to pilot production levels. The lines, featuring a modular design, will expedite the development of new fiber types tailored for specific applications, produced from more sustainable raw materials with improved process efficiency and control.
NCC has identified high energy consumption and the use of fossil fuel-based chemicals as key challenges in carbon fiber production, which result in a high embedded energy in the material and a significant environmental impact from manufacturing components. Utilizing green energy from the UK, as opposed to sourcing materials globally, can reduce the carbon footprint.
Luke Vardy, CEO of Cygnet Texkimp, commented on the collaboration with NCC, saying, "Working with NCC on this significant project allows us to draw on decades of knowledge from our business-shared by respected colleagues and partners in the field of carbon fiber engineering-and apply it to a live project that can directly benefit the UK and organizations looking to commercialize this technology."
NCC and Cygnet Texkimp will collaborate over the next 12 months to design, build, test, and commission the equipment, preparing it for operational use.
