BMW and Boeing join hands to develop carbon-fiber recycling processes
Carbon fiber, better known has one of the strongest and lightest materials used to build stuff today, is quickly finding its place in more and more applications besides the automobile industry. Currently, German automobile giant BMW, uses carbon fiber in the manufacture of the M3, M5 and M6 models. The company also plans to use full carbon fiber passenger cells for the i3 electric car and the i8 plug-in hybrid-electric sports car in the future. With all of this, the disposal or recycling of carbon components arises.
The company has now signed an agreement with Boeing and the two will share technology to develop means to recycle and mass-manufacture carbon fiber in the future. Boeing, one of the biggest aircraft builders in the world, relies heavily on carbon fiber for the 787 Dreamliner aircraft and together with BMW, the company will give the world a practical way to recycle carbon fiber.