JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018 - 15

Overview of the global carbon composites market

Fig. 4: Global Carbon fibre composites for prosthetics market
(source: future market insights)
Fig. 2 Market size of carbon fibre in wind turbine blade

Increase in demand for carbon
fibres for manufacturing wind
turbine blades and rise in
demand for renewable energy
sources are driving the growth
of this market. However, issues
related to the high cost of raw
materials such as carbon fibre
and epoxy resin, and recyclability issue of composites are
factors restraining the growth
of the market.
Sports & Leisure
The high-strength, high modulus and light-weight properties
of carbon fibre have taken
sporting goods to the next level
of performance. Golf shafts, racquets, skis, snowboards, hockey
sticks, fishing rods, bats, and
bicycles have all been advanced
through carbon fibre reinforcements and the opportunities to
further improve sporting good
applications are boundless.
The reason for using carbon
fibre for sporting good applications is not only its light-weight
and durable properties, but
also the freedom it provides
when designing highly-specific
applications. The values for
Carbon composite demand in
this sector was 15,000 tonnes
in 2016 and expected to reach
21,000 tonnes by 2022.
Carbon recycling
There are currently around
24,000 tonnes of waste carbon

fibre generated each year by
manufacturing operations, and
ELG-CF managing director
Frazer Barnes believes that with
the expansion of the industry
this will reach some 32,000
tonnes by 2021. The recycling
of carbon fibres, particularly
those impregnated with resin,
presents a significant challenge.
The majority of CFRPs are
made using thermoset matrices
such as epoxy that cannot be
melted or reshaped after they
are cured.
The use of recycled carbon fibre
has a reduced impact on the environment, its production uses
only around 10% of the energy
required for the manufacture of
virgin fibre.
This saving is significant. According to life cycle analysis, a
vehicle may need to be driven
155,000km before the fuel savings made possible using CFRP
eclipses the energy needed for
its manufacture. Using recycled
carbon fibre for the same application, this balance is achieved
in less than 15,000km.

Fig. 3 Recycled carbon fibres (source:
ELG Carbon Fibre)

Carbon fibre composites for
Prosthetics market
In the U.S, the maximum of
amputations occurring are for
lower extremity prosthetics,
which is resulting in an increase
in the consumption of carbon
fibre composites for lower extremity prosthetics. Individuals
are more concerned about the
lower extremity prosthetics
device in comparison to the
upper extremity prosthetics
devices. According to the Amputee Collation statics, around
65% of the amputations are
for the lower limb. Prosthetics
manufacturing companies are
offering more number of carbon
fibre composite based products
for lower extremity prosthetics.
Össur, Ottobock, Hanger Inc.,
The Ohio Willow Wood Co.,
and Allard USA Inc. are some
of the companies, among
others, which offer carbon
fibre composite based lower extremity prosthetics. As a result,
the adoption of carbon fibre
composites for prosthetics is
also growing in North America,
thus supporting revenue growth
of the market.
A broad variety of prosthetics
are available to patients depending on their individual
functional needs. Prosthetic
limbs are custom made to fit the
user's body and are designed
with precise functional needs
and goals in mind. These comN°122 July 2018

prise specially designed sport
exact prosthetics for leisure
sports and conditioning, such
as aerobics and running.
Össur and Nike have partnered
for designing the ideal running
foot from the ground level,
leveraging Össur's unparalleled
expertise in running prosthetics
with Nike's world celebrated
traction and sole technologies.
Cheetah Xtreme built by Össur
is designed specifically for fast,
short-distance sprints and the
carbon blade features a more
extreme curve than other
Cheetahs. This dynamic shape
allows the foot to flex more,
thereby offering a powerful
energy kick. These factors are
expected to support the growth
of the market in Europe in the
long run. Moreover, growing
investments by companies in
the region is also expected to
bode well for the growth of the
market. Companies are incessantly investing in the research
and development of carbon
fibre composites for prosthetics
products for catering to the
growing needs of the people
who are suffering from the loss
of a limb, hand, or leg in the
region.
More information:
www.jeccomposites.com
www.carbon-composites.eu
www.gminsights.com
www.futuremarketinsights.com
www.elgcf.com

/ jec composites magazine

15
http://www.jeccomposites.com http://www.carbon-composites.eu http://www.gminsights.com http://www.futuremarketinsights.com http://www.elgcf.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #122 - July 2018
