1,720,999 research outputs found
Sviluppo di architetture tessili innovative a base di base di fibre di carbonio da riciclo per il settore dei materiali compositi
No full textThe increasing use of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic composite materials in several industrial applications concerning, for instance, transportation, construction and luxury sport equipment has led to an increase of waste generated, which is mainly incinerated or landfilled, causing significant environmental issues. The main reason lies in the inability to effectively utilise recycled carbon fibres that currently may only be used for the production of second-quality materials such as non-woven fabrics and injection moulded composites which possess low mechanical properties. As yarns are characterised by high fibre orientation and good compactness, they can be exploited to manufacture more oriented reinforcements, potentially enhancing the performance of final composite materials. Therefore, spinning could represent a way to expand the use of recycled carbon fibre to more structural components. In such a context, this Ph.D. project aims at developing an innovative spinning process to obtain yarns with repeatable physical, thermal and mechanical properties suitable for the production of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic composites for structural applications. To address this goal, a six-stage approach was followed. The achieved results show several pieces of evidence. First, recycled carbon fibres from manufacturing scraps may be handled by the proposed innovative spinning process, but they require to be blended with a thermoplastic fibre. Second, manufactured hybrid yarns have good tensile properties and good amount of recycled carbon fibre, although the different steps composing the proposed innovative spinning process reduce the theoretical amount inserted; therefore, they could be adopted for the fabrication of good-quality composite materials. CFRPs consisting of hybrid yarns produced with 70% recycled carbon fibres appear to be the most promising from a mechanical perspective. Third, the sustainability of the innovative spinning process has been analysed. Eventually, it is worth noting that this thesis has both theoretical and practical implications. On the one side, it improves the knowledge about the relationship between composite materials and circular economy by expanding the knowledge about spinning of carbon fibres waste from manufacturing scraps and providing future research directions in the field of fibre-reinforced plastic composite materials recycling technologies. On the other side, it offers a strong practical enrichment to the composite material industry by bringing important economic savings to companies, which may reduce both their raw materials purchase costs and waste disposal costs. Furthermore, the outcomes lead to a significant reduction in environmental impact, since the recycling of carbon fibres from manufacturing scraps allows the reduction of the use of virgin raw material and pollution due to incineration and landfill, as well as the recovery of the energy embodied in carbon fibres during their production
Operative mechanisms for industrial symbiosis initiatives in textiles: towards a new typology
Get PDFThe textile industry is responsible for about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Significant energy, water,
and chemicals are used throughout its supply chain, raising serious environmental concerns. These issues
are intensified by increasing amounts of industrial and post-consumer textile waste generated during
manufacturing processes and due to consumer habits. Unfortunately, only 20% of this waste is recycled
worldwide, mostly for downcycling options. To tackle these challenges and align with circular economy
principles, industrial symbiosis offers a promising solution by converting textile waste into valuable resources.
Recent scientific literature has explored industrial symbiosis in the textile sector, but in a fragmented manner.
Additionally, the existing literature on industrial symbiosis lacks frameworks for categorizing such initiatives,
especially within specific industries and lacking the adoption of a supply chain perspective. This paper
addresses this gap by proposing a detailed typology for classifying industrial symbiosis initiatives in the textile
industry. The proposed typology is developed based on a review of extant taxonomies on the subject and
validated with both primary and secondary case studies, ensuring its relevance and applicability. By offering
a structured classification system, this paper enhances the understanding of industrial symbiosis initiatives
within the textile industry. Lastly, this typology serves as a valuable tool for textile companies, aiding them in
comprehending and implementing industrial symbiosis. In this way, it supports the transition towards more
sustainable operations, helping the industry reduce its environmental impact and better adhere to circular
economy principles
Unravelling sustainability in the textile industry: A literature and case study analysis on Industrial Symbiosis initiatives
No full textThe textile industry contributes approximately 2 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes substantial amounts of energy, water, and chemicals throughout its supply chain, leading to relevant environmental concerns. This environmental impact is further compounded by the growing volumes of industrial and end-of-life textile waste generated during manufacturing processes and by consumer habits. Regrettably, only 20 percent of this waste is currently recycled globally, primarily for downcycling applications. To address these challenges and align the textile industry with circular economy principles, industrial symbiosis emerges as a potential solution by transforming textile waste into high-value resources. Over the past few years, scientific literature has investigated the topic of industrial symbiosis within the textile industry, albeit in a fragmented way. To reduce the cloudiness around this topic, a review of existing literature is conducted and the main dimensions describing industrial symbiosis initiatives are pointed out. These are then applied through multiple case studies. Overall, this paper provides an improved understanding of industrial symbiosis initiatives, thus helping textile companies comprehend what is needed to be considered for undertaking this transitio
Overcoming barriers of green transformation through the adoption of lean manufacturing: A case study
No full textEnvironmental sustainability is gaining more and more importance all over the world. To cope with this trend, companies are working to align their production models implementing green management practices. However, this implementation involves several challenges and calls for appropriate actions to overcome internal and external barriers. Even though lean manufacturing has been considered by researchers a suitable organisational approach to support environmental transformation, how and to what extent lean components integrate into green transformation remains an unexplored topic. On these premises, this paper tries to bridge the existing gap by performing an indepth inductive analysis developed in a manufacturing textile company, that, while operating in accordance with lean manufacturing principles, has recently started a green transformation project. The achieved results confirm that green transformation is a continuous process that takes place with the gradual adoption of green management practices. Moreover, the study suggests that distinctive features of lean manufacturing can help organisations overcome specific barriers that emerge at different stages of the green transformation process.sEnvironmental sustainability, lean manufacturing, green management, cases study, textile industry
Exploring Circularity in Italian Textiles: Findings from the RESTART Survey
No full textThis paper presents preliminary findings from a survey investigating sustainability, circularity, and resilience in the Italian textile supply chain. With 230 responses collected so far, the survey provides insights into current practices, challenges, and opportunities faced by industry stakeholders. The survey (i) gathers data on the use of recycled materials, renewable energy, waste management, environmental assessments, certifications, and investments in sustainability; (ii) examines market positioning and the contribution of certified/recycled products to company turnover; (iii) details the company's production structure and involvement in recycling activities; (iv) assesses supply chain relationships based on information exchange, operational linkages, legal bonds, cooperation, and relationship-specific adaptations, (v) explores merger and acquisition activities and interest in vertical integration, and (vi) investigates services supporting circular transition. The data reveals a growing awareness and adoption of sustainable practices, although significant barriers related to cost, buyersupplier relationships, and technology persist. This study offers a valuable foundation for future research and policy-making aimed at fostering a more sustainable and resilient textile
Tensile properties of unidirectional thermosetting composites reinforced with ring-spun hybrid yarns including recycled carbon fiber
No full textThe study of composites reinforced with aligned recycled carbon fiber (CF) is gaining increasing attention, particularly in light of the circular economy. Hybrid yarns, among other oriented reinforcements, have gained interest from researchers who have already utilized them to produce unidirectional thermoplastic composites. Nevertheless, the evaluation of unidirectional thermosetting composites reinforced with hybrid yarns is still lacking. This article presents their production, leveraging a recently developed process, and mechanical characterization. The results show that the amount of recycled CF and the number of draw frame doublings within the hybrid yarns affect the tensile properties of the composite, while the thermoplastic fiber has no influence, as also suggested by the main effect plots. Two-way interactions exhibit different behaviors depending on the tensile property considered. Overall, the composite material with the best tensile properties was that reinforced with a ring-spun hybrid yarn consisting of 70% recycled CF, 30% polyamide, and five draw frame doublings.Unidirectional thermosetting recycled CFRPs were produced and characterized;Recycled CF's quantity and draw frame doubling's number affect mechanical properties;Thermoplastic fiber has no influence on mechanical properties;Ring-spun hybrid yarn with 70% recycled CF, 30% polyamide, and 5 draw frame doublings provides CFRP with the best mechanical properties
Industria 4.0 a supporto dell'economia circolare. Un'indagine sul Manifatturiero sostenibile
No full textRisorse sempre più limitate. E clienti sempre più esigenti. L'attenzione all'ambiente è la sfida per chi produce. Le nuove tecnologie sono l'alleato delle fabbriche. Lo studio Circular 4.0 sulle aziende bergamasche
Analysis of hybrid yarns properties for good-quality recycled carbon fibre-reinforced plastic composites
Get PDFThis paper aims at assessing the performance of recycled carbon fibres and hybrid yarns in view of their application in carbon fibre-reinforced plastic composite materials for structural components. In detail, the hybrid yarns were manufactured by means of an innovative spinning process the authors have developed in a previous study. Recycled carbon fibres from manufacturing scraps or waste blended with a thermoplastic fibre (i.e. polyester or polyamide) to a weight of 50-50% were used as input. Quantitative laboratory tests, including scanning electron microscopy, tensile test, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, show that hybrid yarns are characterized by good mechanical properties. In particular, hybrid yarns composed of recycled carbon fibres blended with polyester are less ductile and, at the same time, more rigid than those where recycled carbon fibres are blended with polyamide. Furthermore, the percentage of recycled carbon fibres present in the final result is about 7-14% lower than the value originally entered. Finally, the paper paves the way for future research. First, it is fundamental to evaluate the mechanical properties of hybrid yarns composed of higher percentages of recycled carbon fibres. Second, the assessment of the mechanical properties of the carbon fibre-reinforced plastics that are being produced soon as well as the electrical conductivity of the hybrid yarns for both textile and composite applications, could be of interest
Industry 4.0’s support for the circular economy: an empirical analysis in the manufacturing industry
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