Oxford Advanced Surfaces (OAS), a specialist surface modification and advanced materials company, has been awarded a £233,000 grant by Innovate UK to develop new surface treatments that can be used to create new lightweight composites from reclaimed and recycled carbon fiber.
OAS will use carbon fiber that has been reclaimed from a variety of waste sources during its feasibility study. The Oxfordshire, UK-based company says that it deliver a new composite specification that will bring significant benefits to the automotive industry in terms of producing lighter weight material.
‘Recovered composites do exist, but our challenge is to use our expertise in surface treatment to develop a new breed of composite,’ said Dr Jon-Paul Griffiths, OAS technology manager. ‘The target is to be able to give the OEMs access to new materials that are suitable for use in a number of automotive applications, rather than just a handful. This evolution will prove beneficial when they are addressing the challenge of balancing performance, weight and cost.’
Oxford Advanced Surfaces has 18 months to complete a feasibility study for the surface treatments. It aims to develop data sheets and prototypes that will highlight uses for the new composite material it plans to develop.
‘We’re delighted to be part of a such an important project that could not only revolutionise the way vehicles are produced in the future, but also have a massive impact on the environment and the UK economy,’ said Philip Spinks, OAS CEO. ‘The potential is very exciting because using rescued materials is great for the environment and is economical because it’s finding a higher value-add application for a recycled product.’
This story is reprinted from material from OAS, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
