Recycled milled fibres in sustainable composite materials: A comprehensive review and future prospects
Indhumathi Elango, Luke C. Henderson, V. Arumugam
Abstract
This comprehensive review emphasises recycled milled fibres’ sustainability, waste reduction, and cost savings in aerospace applications. The industrialization and prospective uses of recycled fibre-reinforced plastics FRP products, as well as cutting-edge fibre recycling and re-manufacturing processes, are discussed. The mechanical properties of milled fibre composites are reviewed for sustainable applications. A desire for a circular economy is transforming composites to reduce waste and promote sustainability. Fibre-reinforced plastics (FRPs) need innovative recycling methods to remain high-performance and environmentally friendly. Strategies to help the composites industry meet rising demand and strict environmental regulations are explored. Manufacturing of composite recycling conserves energy and materials, making it sector-wide. Due to the reclamation process impacting their performance milled fibres are typically not used for primary structural materials and are relegated to low-value applications. Therefore, the rigorous testing and qualification of these fibres, and their composites, is required. This will provide confidence in these materials' performance benefits and limitations and provide industry-wide uptake. The lack of a centralised body of knowledge on milled fibre applications is also addressed, and an overview of R&D efforts, along with financial and logistical considerations for industrial implementation, is provided in the review.