Eco-efficiency assessment and benchmarking of recycled carbon fibre

Carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) are very important structural materials due to their mechanical properties, light weight, and versatility. This has led to an increase in both CFRP demand and production. This situation implies an increased number of end-of-life products requiring a viable and environmentally friendly way out. Within this context, this work evaluates the eco-efficiency of a company's own CFRP recycling system based on a combination of shredding, pyrolysis and solvolysis processes. The eco-efficiency assessment involves techno-economic and environmental analyses of both recycled carbon fibre from the aforementioned system and, for benchmarking purposes, conventional carbon fibre from polyacrylonitrile. The results show a levelised cost of 4.83 € and a carbon footprint of 22.7 kg CO₂ eq per kilogramme of recycled carbon fibre. Furthermore, factor-X results indicate an eco-efficient performance of the assessed recycled carbon fibre compared to conventional carbon fibre.