Sustainable aerospace brackets from recycled carbon fiber/PEI tapes. Life cycle, microstructure, and structural validation
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2026
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01A - Journal article
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Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing
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10
Issue / Number
8
Pages / Duration
280
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MDPI
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Abstract
Aligned recycled carbon fiber (rCF)/polyetherimide (PEI) tapes are a promising material for lightweight aerospace thermoplastic composite structures with reduced environmental impact, provided that their directional properties can be translated into robust components. To assess the viability of rCF/PEI for aircraft interior applications, this study tracks the development of the “Eco Bracket” across four key stages: sustainability screening, coupon characterization, microstructural interpretation, and application-level structural assessment. A project-level life-cycle assessment compared an Additive Fusion Technology (AFT) rCF/PEI bracket with cast and milled aluminum routes and yielded a short-term climate impact of 0.678 kg CO2-eq for rCF/PEI, representing a significant reduction compared to 5.1 kg CO2-eq for cast aluminum and 20.9 kg CO2-eq for milled aluminum. Coupon testing characterized the anisotropic mechanical response of the rCF/PEI tape, including the elastic moduli and strengths under axial and transverse tension, in-plane shear, and axial and transverse compression. Scanning electron microscopy of a representative fracture surface showed a rough, fiber-dominated morphology with exposed fiber bundles, pull-out, and local variations in matrix coverage, supporting the interpretation that consolidation and local wet-out quality govern the transfer from coupon capability to component performance. At the application level, the manufactured rCF/PEI bracket achieved a peak load of 3517.6 N, corresponding to 93% of the strength of an industry-standard polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) reference bracket, and failed in the fastener-hole region predicted as critical by the finite element model. The combined results indicate that aligned rCF/PEI tapes can deliver mechanical properties consistent with the design requirements of aircraft interior brackets, while process robustness, fiber-path fidelity, and local consolidation quality remain the key barriers to repeatable component performance.
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ISSN
2504-4494
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
Yes
Strategic action fields FHNW
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Published
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peer-reviewed
Open access category
Gold
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Citation
Brauner, C., Givel, F., Kupski, J., & Hajikazemi, M. (2026). Sustainable aerospace brackets from recycled carbon fiber/PEI tapes. Life cycle, microstructure, and structural validation. Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing, 10(8), 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmmp10080280