Nova Carbon Partners with Safran to Revolutionize Carbon Fiber Scrap Recycling

Source (All Images) | Nova Carbon

Nova Carbon (Mérignac, France) announces a collaboration with Safran (Paris, France) to repurpose carbon fiber production scrap.

Nova Carbon’s technology, the result of several years of research and development, offers an approach radically different from traditional recycling. Whereas conventional processes alter fiber length and degrade mechanical properties, the textile solution developed by this startup is said to preserve both the tow structure and the length of the recovered fibers. Thanks to a proprietary process involving realignment and controlled reshaping, the fiber tows are restructured to reconstitute a technical textile whose mechanical performance meets the high standards required for high value-added applications.

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An initial technical study, conducted jointly by a dedicated team from Safran and experts from Nova Carbon, has demonstrated the value of the Nova Carbon process, the partners say. Additional work is currently underway to fully align the material with industry standards. 

While first aiming to transform scrap material into new usable resources without compromising technical performance, the partners aim to ultimately advance the approach to a broad scope of application for all end-of-life composite parts. 

“As an industrial player and consumer of carbon fibers, we have a responsibility to continuously improve our environmental practices. The responsible management of these materials is an integral part of our roadmap. Through Nova Carbon, we are working to potentially deliver a concrete solution to enhance their circularity,” says Hélène Frenois, director of Innovation, Sustainability & Recyclability Program at Safran.

“The Safran teams played a driving role in this ambitious collaboration. Their culture of excellence and their willingness to explore alternative materials — along with a determination to accelerate their integration — illustrate the growing interest in high-performance, circular solutions. Driven by a shared vision, this collaborative dynamic reveals the full potential of our disruptive technology and demonstrates that circularity can meet the highest performance standards,” says Hugo Cartron, co-founder and president of Nova Carbon.

Alongside this partnership, Nova Carbon reports it is entering a decisive phase of its development, marked by the industrialization of its process. Consequently, the company plans to commission a first industrial facility with a production capacity of 200 tonnes per year by 2028.