Proof of market for a novel coloured carbon fibre composite

碳纤维增强聚合物是大约50年前由皇家飞机研究所的一组工程师发明的。它是一种结构复合材料，具有独特的性能组合，使其坚固、坚硬且轻便：同等强度的碳纤维结构重量通常是钢的五分之一。几乎全球生产的所有CF都与粘合基质结合使用，生产碳复合材料，例如碳纤维增强塑料。通过使用碳复合材料实现的重量减轻使其成为许多寻求效率提高的行业的首选材料，例如航空航天，汽车和风力涡轮机，开辟了新的工程可能性。然而，尽管碳纤维复合材料提供了许多结构优势，以及由于纤维的编织结构而带来的独特和理想的视觉外观，碳纤维在产品设计中的使用受到碳纤维固有的黑色的限制。如果出于性能和/或美学原因而强制要求使用颜色，则会在后处理过程中使用，从而产生费用，增加不必要的重量，并且经常需要进行日常维护，通常在具有挑战性的环境中，例如，海上风力涡轮机。利用最初为一级方程式赛车开发的专有技术和专业知识，GPF One正在寻求开发和商业化一系列彩色碳复合材料。在拟议项目中，GPF One打算通过与行业专家和潜在用户的接触来评估其新型彩色碳复合材料的市场潜力。

Carbon fibre reinforced polymer was invented ~50 years ago by a team of engineers at theRoyal Aircraft Establishment. It is a structural composite material with a unique combinationof properties that makes it strong, stiff and light: carbon fibre structure of equal strength willoften weigh 1/5th that of steel.Virtually all CF manufactured worldwide is used in combination with a binding matrix toproduce carbon composites such as carbon fibre reinforced plastics. The weight savingachieved through use of carbon composites has made them a material of choice for manyindustries looking for efficiency gains, such as aerospace, automotive and wind turbines,opening up new engineering possibilities.However, although carbon fibre composite offers many structural advantages, as well as adistinctive and desirable visual appearance due to the woven structure of the fibres, its use inproduct design has been restricted by carbon fibre’s intrinsic black colouration.Where colour has been mandated for performance and/or aesthetic reasons, it has been appliedduring post-processing, incurring expense, adding unwanted weight, and, frequently, therequirement for routine maintenance, often in challenging environments, e.g. off-shore windturbines.Utilising proprietary technology and expertise initially developed for Formula 1 motor racing,GPF One is seeking to develop and commercialise a portfolio of coloured carbon composites.In the proposed project, GPF One intends to assess the market potential for its novel colouredcarbon composite through engagement with industry specialists and prospective users.