Updated on August 20, 2026 • 4 min read
Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a recycling method that converts carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composite waste into lightweight aerogels with potential applications in thermal insulation, sound absorption and oil spill cleanup.
Rather than recovering only the carbon fibers and discarding or destroying the thermoset resin, the process uses both the carbon fiber and epoxy fractions of the waste.
The research was led by Associate Professor Duong Hai Minh from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the NUS College of Design and Engineering. The study was published in Waste Management on June 29, 2026.
Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Waste Remains Difficult to Recycle
Carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites are widely used in aerospace, wind energy, automotive and marine structures because of their combination of low weight, strength and corrosion resistance.
Their end-of-life treatment remains challenging, however.
Once an epoxy thermoset has cured, it cannot simply be melted and reshaped in the way many thermoplastics can. Existing recycling processes therefore commonly concentrate on recovering the more valuable carbon fiber fraction.
Depending on the recycling route, the epoxy matrix may be destroyed, discarded or converted into lower-value products. Some processes also require elevated temperatures, chemical treatment or significant energy input.
The NUS researchers approached the problem differently: instead of separating the composite into individual constituents, they sought to use the entire waste material.
Composite Waste Becomes a Porous Aerogel
The process begins by mechanically reducing carbon fiber/epoxy composite waste into fine powder and short fiber fragments.
This processed material is then mixed with carboxymethyl cellulose, a cellulose-based binder.
The mixture subsequently undergoes freeze-drying, producing a lightweight, highly porous aerogel containing the processed carbon fiber and epoxy waste.
The interconnected pores trap substantial amounts of air within the structure. Because air is a poor thermal conductor, this porous architecture can slow heat transfer through the material.
Laboratory testing showed low thermal conductivity, indicating potential for the recycled composite aerogel to be developed as a lightweight thermal insulation material.
“Our goal was to show that carbon fibre composite waste does not have to be treated only as a disposal problem,” Duong said.
According to the researchers, using both the fiber and resin fractions could provide another pathway for converting difficult composite waste streams into functional materials.
Aerogel Also Shows Sound Absorption Potential
Thermal management was not the only property investigated.
The researchers found that the aerogel could also absorb sound, suggesting potential applications in acoustic insulation and sound-control materials.
This could broaden the possible uses of recycled carbon fiber/epoxy waste beyond applications where recovering high-quality reinforcement fibers is the primary objective.
Rather than attempting to return the material directly to its original structural application, the approach converts it into a different material form where its porous structure provides useful properties.
Hydrophobic Treatment Enables Oil Absorption
The NUS team also investigated whether the aerogel could be used for environmental remediation.
After the material was treated to repel water, it demonstrated the ability to absorb substantial quantities of oil.
The researchers therefore identify oil spill cleanup and oil-water separation as additional potential applications for the technology.
Tests involving fibroblast cells also found the aerogels to be non-toxic under the conditions evaluated in the study. Further investigation would be required for specific human or environmental applications.
Researchers Target Industrial Scale-Up
The NUS team is now seeking collaboration with companies and organizations involved in aerospace, advanced materials, manufacturing and waste management.
Future work will focus on scaling the process and evaluating its environmental and economic performance under industrial conditions.
These steps will be important in determining whether the laboratory process can provide a practical recycling route for larger volumes of composite waste.
For industries increasing their use of carbon fiber composites, the research highlights another potential end-of-life strategy: instead of focusing exclusively on recovering individual constituents, the entire composite waste stream could potentially become feedstock for a new class of functional materials.
Bruce Zhou is the Founder of Jota Machinery, where he leads the development of equipment for flexible packaging and advanced composite materials. With experience in composite processing since 2011, his work is centered on practical engineering, product reliability, and building long-term value for manufacturing customers worldwide.
About Bruce Zhou