Recyclable Airplanes Developed By Swiss Researchers

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Scientists in Switzerland are working to make airplanes recyclable. A newly developed composite material is intended to ensure that lightweight and robust components no longer inevitably end up in landfill or incinerators. Select your language

Generated with artificial intelligence. Listening: Recyclable airplanes developed by Swiss researchers This content was published on September 1, 2026 - 11:24 2 minutes Keystone-SDA

Deutsch de Schweizer Forschende arbeiten an recyclebaren Flugzeugen Original Read more: Schweizer Forschende arbeiten an recyclebaren Flugz

Materials used in the construction of planes or trains must be lightweight, robust and flame-retardant. Until now, however, such composite materials have not been recyclable. Researchers have now developed a material designed to combine these properties, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) announced on Tuesday.

The material developed is a multi-layered composite. A core made of a heat-resistant aramid honeycomb structure is sandwiched between layers of glass or carbon fibres. Epoxy resin is used as the binder. Such resins cannot normally be melted down or dissolved. As a result, composite materials of this kind often end up in landfill sites or are incinerated.

The EMPA researchers added a phosphorus-containing molecule to the epoxy resin. This additive not only makes the material flame-retardant but also enables it to be recycled. Once cured, the resin can be softened again under certain conditions and reshaped.

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