Ulrike Kirschnick is working on her dissertation on the topic of ecological sustainability assessment of bio-based and recycled fiber composites. To delve deeper into this topic, she is currently conducting research at the Institut de Recherche Technologique - Matériaux, Métallurgie et Procédés (IRT-M2P research institute). IRT-M2P is an application-oriented, industry-related research institute dedicated to the production, conversion, functionalization and recycling of metals and their alloys, as well as composite materials.
The topic of this intensive scientific exchange is the balancing of environmental impacts of the use of recycled carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). Ulrike Kirschnick focused on the study of the environmental impact of the production of composites made from recycled CFRP materials in the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) process. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is a high-tech manufacturing process for composites. It involves injecting resin into a prepared mold to produce complex parts. Her work at IRT-M2P, as part of a European collaboration, enables her to survey and evaluate the various process steps involved in CFRP recycling and reprocessing, and to discuss the environmental impacts of the materials and processes in terms of their potential in industrial applications.
