Forming of thermoplastic prepreg with aligned High-Performance Discontinuous Fibre (HiPerDiF), for sustainable composite manufacturing

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Although composite materials can play a role part in the decarbonisation of transport, through structure lightweighting, they are inherently challenging in terms of sustainability. This is because the high-performance composites used in the aerospace and automotive sector are often made of carbon fibres and thermosets resins that are difficult to recycle. The HiPerDiF (High-Performance Discontinuous Fibre) method, invented at the University of Bristol, offers a way to remanufacture composites from reclaimed fibres. The method allows the production of composites comprising high-volume fractions of highly aligned discontinuous fibres, with high processability and performance. Still, greater sustainability credentials can be gained by using thermoplastic matrices which have a greater potential for recycling. This study aims to develop a forming simulation tool for the manufacturing of thermoplastic HiPerDiF tapes, which are composed of 3mm long carbon fibres and PLA matrix. The tool is expected to be validated by forming experiments. This can help in the development of a robust manufacturing process for the highly formable HiPerDiF thermoplastic matrix tapes.