Table of Contents Foreword by Brian E. Spencer Preface Introduction: What Do I Mean by "Sustainable" and "Circular"? Strength, Stiffness, Stress, and Strain 1. Composite Materials: How They Are Made and What Is Used to Make Them Protons, Neutrons, Electrons, Atomic Number, Electron Orbitals, Valence Electrons--What Are These Things? Carbon Silicon Resin Systems Making of Epoxies How Carbon Fiber Is Made The Story of Glass Fiber Other Organic Fibers--Kevlar and Its Cousins Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene Fiber--Spectra/Dyneema Polyester and Vinyl Ester Resins Closing the Circle 2. Recycling and Reuse: Where We Are Today Glass Fiber Composite Recycling Recycle Carbon Fiber Composites? 3. The Problem with Recycling and Recovery of Current Composites The Problem Starts with the Resin What Happens When Composite Resins Age? Recovered Fiber--What to Do with It Glass Fiber 4. Resin Chemistry and Recovery Bisphenol-A-Based Epoxy Taking an Epoxy Apart Taking Apart Polyester Resins--Is It Worth It? 5. An Introduction to Plant-Based Composites and Biocomposites Plant-Based Fibers (Strings) Natural Fiber Plant-Based Resins (Glues) Introducing Plant-Based Resins into the Market 6. An Introduction to Natural Fibers in Today''s Composites Flax Fiber Other Plant Fibers Bamboo Fiber Wood, Sisal, Coconut Coir, Jute, Wheat Straw 7.
Current Work on New Plant-Based Fiber Precursors Plant-Based Acrylonitrile How About Lignin? 8. Current Work on New Plant-Based Resin Precursors Bisphenol A from Plants Other Plant-Based and Inherently Recyclable and Reusable Epoxies Plant-Based Epichlorohydrin The Future of Plant-Based Composite Resin Precursors 9. Process Energy from Renewables: How to Do It The Problem--The Making of the Fibers and Resins and Cooking Them into Parts Glass Fiber Carbon Fiber Renewables for Cooking the Part One Solution for Carbon Fiber--Microwaves An Additional Solution--Renewable Energy Sources for Process Heat and Energy What About Making the Epoxy? Cooking the Part So Where Is This Renewable Energy Going to Come From? The Digital Revolution and Its Impact on Renewable Energy Implications of the Digital Revolution on the Composites Industry 10. Plants for Future Use: Where Is This Going and Where Are We Today? The Push-Pull Between Food Supply and Raw Materials for Industry What Plants Will We Use in the Future for Composite Material Precursors? Something of a Different Idea--Precision Fermentation for Composite Precursors 11. Roadmap to a Sustainable Future: The "Circular Economy" and How We Get There Recommendation 1--Create Sustainable Strategies Recommendation 2--Partner with Startups Recommendation 3--Take Some Risk Recommendation 4--Work with Others and with National Societies and Nonprofits Recommendation 5--Seek Government Funding for Transformative Technologies Strategic Imperative--Don''t Go Out of Business While Changing the Business The Roadmap Raw Material Suppliers Fiber Precursors Now for Resin Precursors Fiber Manufacturers Carbon Fiber Other Organic Fibers Glass Fiber Epoxy (and Other) Resin Producers Processing Equipment Manufacturers Composites Fabricators Users of Composites Composite Material Recyclers 12. How to Pay for the Transition and Who Is Going to Fund It U.S. Federal Government Funding State Government Funding Funding Streams in Europe Private Industry Funding 13.
Summary and Comments on the Roadmap 14. Where We Stand Today Final Thoughts Chapter Notes Bibliography Index.