Market plan of recycled carbon fibers and financial analysis of a case study in the automotive industry

This work refers to research activities carried out within the REcycled carbon fibres for high VALUE composites – REVALUE Project, founded by EIT RawMaterials and performed in the period 2017-2019. All the information and data here reported are referred and updated to this period. The main goal of this document is to provide an insight into the market for carbon fibers reclaimed from end-of-life composites. It identifies market outlets for recycled carbon fibers (rCFs) in various industrial sectors, in particular the Automotive, with the aim to investigate potential applications in which the new material would enter as a competitor of components based on metallic materials or polymers reinforced with glass fibers. The following pages will show that thermoplastic compounds reinforced by high value rFCs are the best compromise to changes imposed in the automotive sector, in order to produce structural, sub-structural and accessories components in the automotive industry. In addition, a clear and wide documented analysis of the EU market scenario and market plan of this specific segment in the automotive field will allow justify the possible investment in composite reinforced with recycled carbon fibers. On this basis, the study continues with the deepening of a Case Study: a 7-year long accurate financial analysis of the market introduction of an innovative thermoplastic compound reinforced with rCFs is developed, aiming to evaluate the feasibility of trade of this typology of composite material.