As part of the RECREATE innitative, a significant milestone has been reached in advancing circularity for carbon fiber composites. Project partners, under the leadership of young researcher Ines SMA of CNRS, have successfully demonstrated that composite materials can be dismantled at the ply scale and subsequently reassembled while maintaining—if not exceeding—their original mechanical and chemical properties.

This development addresses one of the central challenges of composite materials: their end-of-life management. While composites are valued for their strength and durability, these same attributes have historically limited their recyclability. By enabling controlled dismantling without compromising material performance, this work represents an important step toward reuse strategies that preserve high-value properties, rather than leading to downcycling or disposal.

The dismantling process is based on laser shock technology, which precisely weakens the interface between layers, allowing for the recovery of individual plies. These plies retain their integrity and can be reassembled into new structures with equivalent performance. The results highlight the potential of this technique to contribute to a more sustainable and resource-efficient future for high-performance composites.

This achievement is a joint results of multiple partners collaboration, including Fabian Wunderle of INVENT GmbH and Essi Sarlin of Tampre Univerisity.

With this accomplishment, RECREATE has taken a major step towards circularity in composites. It shows that high-performance materials can not only be reused, but also retain their value across multiple life cycles, helping to reduce waste and support a more sustainable future.