Fiberglass and carbon fibers (in other words: composite materials) are now everywhere: wind turbine blades, airplanes, cars, but also in bicycles, tennis or paddle rackets, and skis. This widespread use has been made possible by significant scientific and technological advancements over the past decade. Unfortunately, this progress has not been matched by a similar advancement in recycling technologies specific for composites. For this reason, wind turbine blades and other structures are still largely landfilled today.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering of Politecnico di Milano is already active in numerous research projects on this topic. However, with the FibReLoop project, a new approach will be adopted, focusing not on research itself, but on researchers. This is the goal of the MSCA funding: to train high-level PhD candidates through both research and an international, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral training program. For recent graduates aspiring to a ground-breaking scientific career, this is a unique opportunity!
The PhD candidates will be involved not only in recycling technologies but in all phases of the circular economy: material recycling, experimental characterization of recycled materials, modelling of such materials, design of parts made from recycled composites, life cycle analysis, and exploring new commercial opportunities. They will also consider case studies from the main composite users industrial sectors: wind energy, aerospace, automotive, and sports equipment.
The FibReLoop project is coordinated by Dr. Luca Martulli, a researcher from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Martulli was himself an MSCA PhD candidate in the FibReMoD project (2016 - 2020), demonstrating the virtuous cycle that these grants can initiate.
The FibReLoop consortium includes several European universities (Polytechnic University of Milan, KTH, KU Leuven, University of Twente, University of Paris - Sciences and Letters) research centers (Thermoplastic Composites Research Centre), and companies (Head Sport, Arkema, Fairmat, Eni, Lineat, Toray, Cobat). FibReLoop is thus a strongly European initiative, with partners spread across Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The partners of FibReLoop are committed to host a PhD position, as well as providing training on their expertise and hosting other FibReLoop PhD candidates for research periods of a few months. The entire consortium met online on Friday, October 11, officially kicking off the recruitment phase. To all recent graduates out there: don’t pass this opportunity! The project recruitment site is: https://fibreloop.polimi.it.
The next step is the first meeting with all PhD candidates and supervisors: two days at the University of Twente where the more technical work will start, as well as the dedicated training program. Soon, updates will follow on the official website: not only technical news, but young researchers will have the opportunity to share their wonderful experiences as MSCA PhD candidates.