Weight reduction and improved energy efficiency are two of the major challenges facing the aeronautics industry as it transitions towards more sustainable models. Against this backdrop, the RE-CELL project is developing an innovative generation of supercapacitors and structural batteries based on recycled carbon fiber, capable of storing energy while simultaneously forming part of the aircraft structure itself.
Image Credit: AIMPLAS
The initiative, coordinated by SOFITEC with the participation of AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, and I2CON, proposes a paradigm shift in the design of aeronautical components through the use of multifunctional materials that combine mechanical properties with energy-storage capacity.
Transport electrification is key to reducing CO2 emissions, but aviation faces major limitations because of battery weight and energy density. RE-CELL addresses this challenge by developing structural composites capable of storing energy, thereby eliminating separate systems and optimizing the aircraft’s overall weight.
“The major challenge in aviation electrification is not only to store more energy, but to do so without adding a weight penalty. Structural batteries make precisely that possible: the component itself performs both a structural and an energy function,” explains Esteban Castro, R&D Engineer at SOFITEC. These solutions will initially target non-critical applications, such as cabin-lighting systems, laying the groundwork for broader integration in the future.
One of the project’s distinguishing features is the use of recycled carbon fiber as the basis for developing these new materials. This approach not only helps reduce waste in composite-intensive sectors but also supports progress towards a circular-economy model in the aeronautics industry.
“In RE-CELL, we are not only seeking more efficient new materials, but also more sustainable ones. We are working to give carbon fiber a second life and turn it into a high-value resource for demanding applications such as aeronautics,” says Fernando Ramos, researcher in Sustainable and Future Mobility at AIMPLAS. To achieve this, the project is developing advanced fiber recycling and treatment processes, as well as their integration into polymer matrices capable of providing structural and electrochemical performance at the same time.
The project addresses not only the development of new materials, but also some of the main scientific challenges that have so far limited the real-world application of structural batteries, including the development of functional solid electrolytes, the variability of recycled fibers and the complexity of the combined mechanical and electrochemical behavior.
“One of the project’s main advances is to address together phenomena that until now have been studied separately, such as ionic conduction and the material’s mechanical behavior. This integrated approach is essential to make the leap towards real applications,” says Florin Ardelean, a researcher in computational modelling and simulation at I2CON. To meet these challenges, the consortium combines materials design, multiphysics modelling and experimental validation, bringing the technology closer to industrial application.
Validation in a Full-Scale Aeronautical Demonstrator
The project will culminate in the manufacture and validation of a full-scale demonstrator integrated into a component linked to an aircraft landing gear. This step will make it possible to assess the technology’s performance under representative conditions and advance towards future industrialization. “Developing a real demonstrator is essential to validate not only the material, but also its processing and integration into aeronautical industrial environments,” emphasizes Esteban Castro, R&D Engineer at SOFITEC.
RE-CELL is part of the 2023 Public-Private Partnership program, funded by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) and co-funded by the European Union. Through this initiative, the project contributes to the development of new aeronautical applications based on recycled materials. AIMPLAS contributes its expertise in recycling, polymer-material development and advanced-composite manufacturing. I2CON leads the development of numerical models for designing and optimizing the solution, while SOFITEC drives industrial validation.