MATERIALS | REINFORCEMENTS


Above: Apply Carbon’s new Carbiso P recycled carbon fibre pellets with fibre lengths of 3 mm (left) and 6 mm (right can be sized for compatibility with PA, PP, PBT, PPO or POM


mechanical performance and structural integrity with tuneable electrical properties, Miltner says. Similar arguments apply in other markets. “Examples include consumer electronics applica- tions, where the use of magnesium-aluminium alloys is starting to be questioned in view of the ecological footprint associated with some of the required processing steps, but also a wide range of industrial components such as gears and pumps,” Miltner says. “In the recent months, these developments have


been further catalysed by the very sharp price increases of energy and some raw materials, especially metals,” he adds.


Carbon footprint Apply Carbon specialises in recycled fibre products, including carbon, so sees itself particularly well- positioned to address these new challenges. It has recently reinforced its argument with the provision of independent data on the embedded carbon footprint of the recycled fibre products it offers. The company commissioned a detailed study


from sustainable development consultancy firm EcoRes to assess the greenhouse gas emissions associated with all of its assets and operations. It revealed that, among other things, the use of recycled raw materials allows it to reduce GHG emissions by 85% compared to that required for processing primary raw materials. The study also showed that


the recycled carbon and aramid fibres produced by Apply Carbon have, on


average, an embedded CO2 footprint of 2.0 kg CO2 equivalent/kg against 12.9 kg


CO2 28


equivalent/kg for virgin fibres. It also found that there is a ratio as


COMPOUNDING WORLD | June 2022


high as six times between GHG content in recycled and primary technical fibres. Carbon and aramid fibres are currently in very high demand due to the growing number of applications, but also to massive current disrup- tions in the supply chain, says Miltner. This has created a strong increase in demand for recycled equivalents, “the supply of which so far relied on the availability of high-quality post-industrial waste and on only a few capacity-constrained suppliers.” To overcome the carbon supply bottleneck, Apply Carbon has expanded its product portfolio into a range of new products based on much more widely available textile waste.


Recycled developments The company is currently introducing a number of new recycled carbon fibre products in pellet and granulate form. These include three grades of thermoplastic sizing and are intended for use in engineering thermoplastics such as PA, PPA, PBT, PPO and POM. Miltner says these reinforcing fillers are based on widely available feedstock; Apply Carbon currently holds a stock of approximately 3,000 tonnes. “Furthermore, these products contain a number


of innovations that are addressing clear market needs,” he says. For example, the product format of pellets or granulates provides a solution to feeding and dosing issues typically encountered by com- pounders with low bulk density products, offering the potential for productivity increases and quality improvements. The products are also free-flowing and offer dust-free handling (bulk densities are of the order of 125 and 300-400 g/l, respectively). Miltner says fibre length can be tuned to the


IMAGE: APPLY


CARBON


application requirements. Shorter fibres typically keep melt viscosity low, enabling thin-walled parts to be produced with more isotropic properties or the production of carbon-reinforced 3D printing filaments. Longer fibres are more suited to use where maximising part performance is the goal, such as in metal-plastic hybrid part production or where orientation along the main load direction of a part is required. The latest additions to the


product range are said to offer different balances between


Left: Carbiso G carbon fibre granulate from Apply Carbon uses a mix of intermediate and


standard modulus carbon fibres and is said to be well suited for ESD and EMI applications


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IMAGE: APPLY CARBON


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