Project description
FibReLoop: Creating experts in fibre-reinforced composites recycling
Lightweight fibre-reinforced composites are an innovative technology widely used across several industrial sectors: they can play a key role in transitioning to a sustainable society. Unfortunately, despite their benefits, recycling and disposal technologies for these composites are not yet advanced, leading to the potential of massive amounts of waste in the future, which could undermine efforts to combat climate change. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the FibReLoop project aims to train 14 promising researchers with multidisciplinary backgrounds in the circular economy aspects of fibre-reinforced composites, tackling the recycling of composites as well as the use of recycled materials into new applications. The goal is to create experts who can develop essential circular economy methodologies and technologies.
Objective
Lightweight fibre-reinforced composites are a key technology for a sustainable society and have been largely employed in several industrial sectors: sport equipment, wind energy, automotive, aerospace and more. Their recent widespread adoption, however, was not matched by a similar advancement of technologies for their recycling and disposal. In the next three decades, between two and three million tons of composites waste are estimated to be produced globally. Landfilling or incinerating such an amount of material, as it is done today, would significantly compromise the fight against climate change. Future scientists and engineers will thus need to efficiently dispose of such waste in a sustainable way. FibReLoop thus aims to train 14 innovative researchers that: 1) have a multi-disciplinary background expertise on all circular economic aspects of fibre-reinforced composites; 2) are able to identify, develop and commercialise key technologies and research opportunities for the sustainable development of composite materials; 3) can communicate efficiently with industrial partners, academics, media, policy makers and the general audience. FibReLoop researchers will be supported by a holistic training programme, provided by the 6 academic and 8 industrial partners of the project. The researchers will be involved in all the phases of the recycling process of composite parts: i) the analysis and development of recycling techniques, ii) the material characterisation and modelling of the recycled composites and the reclaimed constituents, iii) the design of components made of recycled composites, iv) their industrial adoption and finally v) the life cycle assessment of recycling processes and recycled materials. Overall, FibReLoop scientific advancement will allow to fully contextualise fibre-reinforced composites in a circular economic framework, boosting EU’s innovation capabilities while also allowing it to achieve the ambitious goals of the European Green Deal.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcomposites
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energywind power
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral NetworksCoordinator
20133 Milano
Italy
See on map
Participants (8)
3000 Leuven
See on map
7522 NB Enschede
See on map
75272 Paris
See on map
100 44 Stockholm
See on map
7521 PN Enschede
See on map
75008 PARIS
See on map
6921 Kennelbach
See on map
92700 Colombes
See on map
Partners (9)
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
7443 RE Nijverdal
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
BS16 7FS Bristol
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
00144 Roma
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
00185 Roma
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
20158 Milano
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
3010 Kessel-Lo
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
4631RV Hoogerheide
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
75272 Paris
See on map
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
75006 Paris
See on map