Prodrive, a motorsport and advanced technology company, is working with light weighting and materials researchers at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) to advance its processes for manufacturing recyclable composite components that extend useful lifetimes and reduce tooling costs.
The collaboration on the P2T (Primary to Tertiary) project will lead to manufacturing recyclable composite components that can satisfy end-of-life requirements without any compromise in the performance of the original parts.
The process uses a reactive thermoplastic resin instead of a thermosetting type. A plastic monomer reacts with a catalyst in the presence of the fibers to produce a cured laminate.
Since P2T composites do not require heat or pressure during manufacture and there is no need for an autoclave, the cost of scaling up production is reduced. Cost savings are also realized in reduced tooling costs and shorter lead time compared to existing metallic or composite solutions.
