Can carbon fiber composites have a lower environmental impact than fiberglass?
Journal article, 2022

Carbon fiber composites are increasingly used to decrease fuel consumption in the use phase of vehicles. However, due to the energy intensive production, the reduced fuel consumption may not lead to life cycle environmental savings as much as for other lightweighting materials, for example fiberglass. This study uses life cycle assessment methodology to assess how different future development routes including using bio-based raw materials, microwave technology, and recycling of composites with the recovery of fibers influence the envi- ronmental impact of both carbon fiber composites and fiberglass in vehicles. Results show that combining different development routes could lead to carbon fiber composites with a lower environmental impact than fiberglass composites in the future and that recycling of composites with recovery of fibers is the route that alone shows the greatest potential.

recycling

glass fiber composites

carbon fiber composites

microwave technology

Life Cycle Assessment

bio-based

Author

Frida Hermansson

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Sara Heimersson

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Mathias Janssen

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Magdalena Svanström

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Resources, Conservation and Recycling

09213449 (ISSN) 18790658 (eISSN)

Vol. 181 106234

Lignin Based Carbon Fibres for Composites (LIBRE)

European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/720707), 2016-11-01 -- 2020-10-31.

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Areas of Advance

Production

Energy

Materials Science

Subject Categories

Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Other Environmental Engineering

Environmental Sciences

DOI

10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106234

More information

Latest update

3/23/2022