Recyclable Glass Fibers! Swiss Company Develops Static Pyrolysis Process

  Swiss cleantech company Composite Recycling (hereinafter referred to as Composite), founded in 2021, has developed a pyrolysis process and post-processing method that separates glass fibers from resin in glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP), enabling the recycling of glass fibers, and the recovered fibers can be put into the production of new composites to achieve the Recycling of GFRP.
  Founded by Dr. Pascal Gallo, Guillaume Perbenj and Mitchell Anderson, Composite developed its GFRP recycling process in collaboration with the Advanced Composites Laboratory at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
  Glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), which is synthesized from glass fibers and resins, is lightweight and low-cost, and can be used in virtually all applications including boat hulls, wind turbine blades, printed circuit boards, and automotive parts, train bodies, and other areas where its durability is very high. However, this composite material has always been non-recyclable. Existing technology is unable to separate the resin and fiber, and it can only be disposed of through landfill or incineration, which has a serious impact on the environment.
Although the relevant EU regulatory bodies have embarked on a comprehensive ban on landfills, composite waste is excluded from the ban due to the lack of effective recycling methods. Europe currently produces 500,000 tons of composite waste per year, and this figure is expected to grow to 800,000 tons by 2030.
  Composite has developed a pyrolysis process and post-processing method that separates the glass fibers from the resin in GFRP, enabling the recovery of the glass fibers, and the recovered fibers can be put into the production of new composites to achieve closed-loop recycling of GFRP. The proprietary static pyrolysis process and post-processing technology heats the composite material in an oxygen-free environment to separate the glass fibers from the resin and then complete the recovery. Because of the oxygen-free heating, the resin evaporates rather than burns. When the resulting vapors condense, pyrolysis oils are formed, which can be used to synthesize different types of decarburized plastics and, in some cases, resins. At the same time, the gases released during the pyrolysis process can be reused to power the pyrolysis process, making the recycling process more economical and energy-efficient. composite uses a stationary thermal reactor, and by accurately calibrating its reactor, composite is able to tailor the specification of the recycled fiberglass to meet the reproduction requirements of composite manufacturers and maximize the amount of recovered fiberglass, pyrolysis oil and gases. fiberglass, pyrolysis oils and gases with maximum quality and consistency.
  Composite uses a mobile recycling unit that mounts the thermal reactor in a 40-inch container, applies the same hydraulic hitch system as a truck, and can be moved, unloaded, and installed by conventional transportation, allowing for in-situ disposal of waste at demolition sites, ports, factories, and other sites. This significantly reduces the cost and carbon footprint of transporting large waste materials and allows Composite the flexibility to be deployed as needed, quickly and easily, making its cost outlay much lower than centralized recycling plants. Currently, Composite's first generation containers can process approximately 2 tons of waste material per day, with the next generation of containers having a capacity of 4 tons per day.
  Composite's technology offers new solutions for recycling previously difficult-to-recycle materials and is used in a variety of products, including ship hulls, wind turbine blades, end-of-life automotive parts, aircraft interiors, GFRP trim, and more.
  Composite's technology has been so well received that it has established relationships with a number of key partners, such as Arkema and Beneteau Group, during its start-up phase. More than 350 pyrolysis tests have been conducted for customers in the marine, aerospace, automotive, sporting goods, chemical and other industries, and customized recycling solutions have been developed for the respective companies.Composite expects to launch its first industrial-scale mobile recycling unit in the late summer of 2024, kicking off the scaling and industrialization phase of the company's recycling business.
  In 2022, Composite received a CHF 100,000 Tech Seed loan from FIT. In the same year, Composite secured CHF 150,000 in funding from VentureKick and opened a seed round. The plan is to further optimize its recycling technology and start the industrialization process to achieve high-value recycling of composite materials with its innovative recycling process and ultimately a circular economy.------Glass Fiber Intelligence