Transformation from a linear single-use tooling board to a circular multi-use product

玻璃、芳纶或碳纤维增强聚合物复合材料是未来净零排放的重要组成部分，因为它们具有高比性能，即在相对较低的重量下具有高机械性能，为所有运输方式提供燃油效率。这就是为什么它们通常被称为轻质复合材料的原因。不幸的是，用于将复合材料中的纤维粘合在一起的高性能聚合物基质非常难以回收。该提案针对的是依赖类似聚合物基质的环氧树脂工具板（ETB）市场。ETB是制造聚合物复合材料部件的重要初始步骤，但它们基本上是一次性塑料。无论是在ETB的工业制造过程中还是在最终用户现场使用过程中，所产生的废物（主要是加工过程中产生的碎屑和灰尘）都被送往填埋场或焚烧。在最终用户现场，ETB被粘合在一起，最终组装成复杂的基材。这种复杂基材的高清晰度形状和质量将决定复合材料零件的最终形状和表面质量。然而，一旦基材达到其（一次性）目的，由于设计机密性，它通常会通过相同的填埋或焚烧路线被销毁和处理。尽管如此，ETB仍然是汽车和一级方程式赛车行业的支柱，在英国有很好的代表性。这使其成为英国市场上非常重要的产品-预计英国将使用约1500 m3的该产品。该提案将通过专注于配方中的活性成分，彻底改变加工废料和报废产品的回收过程。我们正在使用新一代的可回收树脂化学。这种化学物质将提供类似的最终产品性能，但具有类似热塑性塑料的回收潜力。目前市场上还没有这种技术。Reactive Components Ltd的产品开发专业知识和市场应用知识将用于评估，评估新的树脂技术，并将其整合到适合在Tier 2工厂使用并在最终用户现场验证的工业配方中。使用实践，并将其与基于树脂技术的新工艺进行对比。最终，制造商和最终用户将能够通过使用这种创新产品来减少碳足迹。

Glass, aramid or carbon fibres - reinforced polymer composites are an essential part of the net zero future due to their high specific properties, ie high mechanical performance at a relatively low weight delivering fuel efficiency for all modes of transportation. That is why they are often referred as lightweight composite materials.Unfortunately the high performance polymer matrices used to bind the fibres together in composites are notoriously difficult to recycle.This proposal is targeting the Epoxy Tooling Board (ETB) market which relies on similar polymer matrices. ETBs are the important initial step in the manufacture of polymer composite parts, but they are essentially single use plastic. Whether it is during industrial manufacture of ETBs or during their use at end users sites, the waste created (mainly chippings & dust generated during machining) are sent to landfill or incinerated.At end users sites, the ETBs are bonded together, and the resulting assembly is turned into a complex substrate. The high definition shape and quality of this complex substrate will determine the final shape and surface quality of the composite part. However, once the substrate has served its (single-use) purpose, it is destroyed and disposed of due to design confidentiality, generally through the same routes of landfill or incineration.Despite this situation, ETBs are a mainstay of the automotive and Formula 1 industry, which is so well represented here in the UK. This makes it a very important product for the UK market - around 1500m3 of this product is expected to be used in the UK.This proposal will revolutionise the process of recycling both the machining waste and end of life product by focussing on the reactive components of the recipe. We are working with a new generation of recyclable resin chemistry. This chemistry will deliver a similar end product performance but with thermoplastic-like recycling potential. Such a technology does not currently exist in the marketplace.The product development expertise and market application knowledge of Reactive Components Ltd will be used to assess, evaluate and integrate the new resin technology into an industrial recipe fit to be used at Tier 2's sites and validated at end users' site.A lifecycle analysis software will be used to benchmarking existing single-use practice and contrast it with the new resin technology-based processes.Ultimately manufacturers and end users will be able to reduce their carbon footprint by using this innovative product.