{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]],"date-time":"2026-03-31T03:15:14Z","timestamp":1774926914916,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,22]],"date-time":"2025-07-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753142400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Compos. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>The aerospace industry is increasingly turning to composite materials due to their exceptional strength, stiffness, and beneficial physical properties. However, increased reliance on carbon fibre composites has substantial environmental implications, particularly concerning waste management. Recycling these materials is a potential solution to these sustainability issues, provided the recycled fibres retain adequate mechanical strength and durability. This study evaluates the mechanical capabilities of recycled carbon fibres in a scaled-down aircraft spar model (AMT-600 GURI), contrasting them with the capabilities of conventional spars. The primary objective is to ascertain whether recycled composites can fulfil the stringent structural requirements of aerospace applications, employing both simulation and experimental validation methods. The recycled carbon fibre composites were manufactured using hand lay-up and vacuum bagging techniques, and their properties were validated through rigorous tensile and compressive strength testing. These validated results were then used to inform a finite element model developed in HyperWorks software. Simulations revealed that the recycled spar achieved maximum stress values of 3.87 MPa under lift forces, a slight increase of +8.95% compared to the original spar, and 55.05 MPa under drag forces, a significant improvement of +36%. Aerodynamic evaluations further confirmed the structural resilience of the recycled spar, with displacement measurements of 141.4 mm for lift and 504.8 mm for drag, closely aligning with the original spar\u2019s performance. In summary, this study demonstrates that recycled carbon fibre composites can serve as effective substitutes for traditional aerospace materials, thereby supporting sustainability initiatives without compromising performance. The outlined approach provides a reliable framework for incorporating recycled materials.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcs9080384","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,22]],"date-time":"2025-07-22T11:44:45Z","timestamp":1753184685000},"page":"384","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Advancing Sustainability in Aerospace: Evaluating the Performance of Recycled Carbon Fibre Composites in Aircraft Wing Spar Design"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Naomi","family":"Bouman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Technologycal College, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos Professor Jessen Vidal Centro Paula Souza, Av Cesare Mansueto Giulio Lattes, 1350 Distrito Eug\u00eanio de Melo, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos 12247-014, SP, Brazil"},{"name":"Inholland University of Applied Science, Rotterdamseweg 141, 2628 AL Delft, The Netherlands"}]},{"given":"Sofia Salles Lantyer","family":"Marques","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Technologycal College, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos Professor Jessen Vidal Centro Paula Souza, Av Cesare Mansueto Giulio Lattes, 1350 Distrito Eug\u00eanio de Melo, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos 12247-014, SP, Brazil"}]},{"given":"Naiara Poli Veneziani","family":"Sebbe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIDEM-ISEP, School of Engineering Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Dr Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Antoine","family":"Gerritse","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Inholland University of Applied Science, Rotterdamseweg 141, 2628 AL Delft, The Netherlands"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2287-4713","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Heide Heloise","family":"Bernardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Technologycal College, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos Professor Jessen Vidal Centro Paula Souza, Av Cesare Mansueto Giulio Lattes, 1350 Distrito Eug\u00eanio de Melo, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos 12247-014, SP, Brazil"}]},{"given":"William Marcos Muniz","family":"Menezes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Technologycal College, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos Professor Jessen Vidal Centro Paula Souza, Av Cesare Mansueto Giulio Lattes, 1350 Distrito Eug\u00eanio de Melo, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos 12247-014, SP, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8570-4362","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francisco Jos\u00e9 Gomes","family":"da Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIDEM-ISEP, School of Engineering Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Dr Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"INEGI Instituto de Ci\u00eancia e Inova\u00e7\u00e3o em Engenharia Mec\u00e2nica e Engenharia Industrial, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 400, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Jorge Tadao","family":"Matsushima","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Technologycal College, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos Professor Jessen Vidal Centro Paula Souza, Av Cesare Mansueto Giulio Lattes, 1350 Distrito Eug\u00eanio de Melo, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos 12247-014, SP, Brazil"}]},{"given":"Lucas","family":"Giovanetti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Technologycal College, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos Professor Jessen Vidal Centro Paula Souza, Av Cesare Mansueto Giulio Lattes, 1350 Distrito Eug\u00eanio de Melo, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos 12247-014, SP, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2160-0609","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rita de C\u00e1ssia Mendon\u00e7a","family":"Sales-Contini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Technologycal College, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos Professor Jessen Vidal Centro Paula Souza, Av Cesare Mansueto Giulio Lattes, 1350 Distrito Eug\u00eanio de Melo, S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos 12247-014, SP, Brazil"},{"name":"CIDEM-ISEP, School of Engineering Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Dr Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.13111\/2066-8201.2013.5.3.14","article-title":"Advanced composite materials of the future in the aerospace industry","volume":"5","year":"2013","journal-title":"INCAS Bull."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Joseph, K., Oksman, K., George, G., Wilson, R., and Appukuttan, S. 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