America’s Cup gains spotlight for repurposing initiative

America’s Cup winner Oracle Team USA has received a ReXC award from applied research organisation SCRA in recognition of its reuse of recycled carbon fibre composite materials.

Oracle Team USA has recycled two of its racing yachts, recovering carbon fibre from the boats and repurposing it into a mould for new watercraft.

The carbon fibre was recovered using a closed loop process in a geothermal plant and then shipped to Team Oracle USA’s supplier, Core Composites, for repurposing.

The unused recycled carbon fibre was sent to MIT-RCF, a South Carolina-based company specialising in reclaiming and repurposing carbon fibre composites based.

SCRA was formed by the state of South Carolina and manages over $2 billion in national and international R&D programmes with focus areas including prototypes, maritime technology, advanced materials and energy.

“Collaborating with leading aerospace companies, carbon fibre producers and the Department of Energy, SCRA has helped accelerate the process of carbon composites recycling and hope to continue to get these recycled products into the commercial marketplace,” says Mark Housley, MIT-RCF Executive Vice President and SC Launch Zone Manager.

Source: www.reinforcedplastics.com