CIRCLE : Sustainable Recycled Composites
Carnot MICA and the CIRCLE Project: Innovating for More Sustainable Boating
Recycled Thermoplastic Composites: High-Performance Materials for the Marine Industry
In the pursuit of both technical and environmental performance, racing boat manufacturers are increasingly turning to materials innovation. During the Vendée Globe 2020, several skippers expressed their intention to integrate equipment aligned with these new expectations. Addressing these challenges, the CIRCLE project, supported by Carnot MICA, enabled the development of high-performance recycled thermoplastic (TP) composites.
The Challenge of Composites in the Marine Sector
Fiber-reinforced composite materials (glass, carbon, or natural fibers) are now indispensable in the manufacturing of racing sailboats. Offering excellent fatigue resistance and an outstanding stiffness-to-weight ratio, they contribute to enhanced vessel performance while reducing environmental impact. However, recycling these materials remains a significant challenge.
The CIRCLE Project: Giving Thermoplastic Composites a Second Life
Led by the research teams at UBSIDE and Cetim, and supported by Carnot MICA, the CIRCLE project demonstrated the feasibility of recycling glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide composites (PA6/GF) using the Thermosaïc® process (TRL 5–6).
In practical terms, this Cetim-developed technology converts thermoplastic composite waste (production offcuts and end-of-life products) into semi-finished products (panels), which can subsequently be machined, overmolded, or thermo-stamped
A key innovation of the project lies in the use of Automated Fiber Placement (AFP). This advanced process, mastered and implemented by UBSIDE, involves the precise deposition of thermoplastic composite tapes onto recycled composite panels to locally enhance stiffness and mechanical strength.
The newly developed materials were consolidated through thermo-stamping on Cetim’s QSP® line. The performance gains achieved are remarkable: by adding just 20% PA6/CF tapes to Thermosaïc® panels (PA6/GF), the mechanical properties of the recycled composites improved significantly, with a 50% increase in tensile and flexural strength!
These advances pave the way for manufacturing marine equipment from recycled composites, helping reduce reliance on virgin raw materials derived from non-renewable resources.
The demonstrators developed within the CIRCLE project confirm that recycling thermoplastic composites is a technically viable solution for the marine industry. Beyond this sector, these innovations are also highly relevant to aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy applications, where lightweight structures and life-cycle management are critical considerations.