Analysis of the forming mechanisms of woven fabrics based on recycled carbon fiber spun yarns

Abstract

The increasing need for effective recycling strategies for carbon fiber reinforced composites has become essential to minimize waste volumes and sustainably enhance raw material efficiency. Spinning yarns from discontinuous recycled carbon fibers (rCF) has shown significant potential for use in thermoplastic and thermoset composite applications. However, despite their high deformability resulting from fiber-fiber slippage mechanisms, there is a lack of investigation into the deformability of fabrics made from rCF spun yarns. The current study, thus, addresses this gap by examining the fabric forming behavior through a combination of experimental forming tests and meso‑scale modeling. The developed model incorporates the elastic-plastic behavior of the yarns and captures their stochastic mechanical properties introduced by the manufacturing process. Parameter studies on blank holder force and stochastic material properties were conducted in forming simulations to identify critical areas within the textile structure with a higher probability of damage initiation. The probabilistic approach adopted in this study provides insights into the localized behavior of the material under forming conditions, enabling a more accurate prediction of failure-prone regions. These findings contribute to advancing the understanding of rCF-based textile structures and their application in composite manufacturing processes.