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

尽管复合材料可以通过结构轻量化在交通运输的脱碳方面发挥作用，但它们在可持续性方面本身就具有挑战性。这是因为航空航天和汽车领域使用的高性能复合材料通常是由碳纤维和热固性树脂制成的，这些树脂很难回收。布里斯托尔大学发明的HiPerDiF(高性能不连续纤维)方法提供了一种用回收纤维重新制造复合材料的方法。该方法允许生产由高度取向的不连续纤维的高体积分数组成的具有高加工性和性能的复合材料。尽管如此，通过使用具有更大回收潜力的热塑性塑料基质，可以获得更好的可持续性证书。本研究旨在开发一种用于制造热塑性HiPerDiF带材的成形模拟工具，该带材由3 mm长的碳纤维和聚乳酸基质组成。该工具有望通过成形实验进行验证。这有助于开发高度可成形的HiPerDiF热塑性基带的可靠制造工艺。

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.