Life cycle engineering of carbon fibres for lightweight structures

Abstract Composite materials are of major importance in today's manufacturing of lightweight structures. Due to their excellent material properties, carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) have become highly desired engineering materials for structural applications. However, energy-intensive thermal processes as well as long cycle times during manufacturing have been an obstacle towards high-volume applications. This paper presents a framework for assessing the eco-efficiency of carbon fibre production. The developed framework enables interdisciplinary collaboration between different engineering disciplines by combining methods and tools to ensure life cycle improvements in carbon fibre production.