Empa researchers develop recyclable composite for aircraft and trains

Researchers at Empa, in collaboration with industrial partner Elantas, have developed a fully recyclable composite material designed for the interior of aircraft and passenger trains. The material is intended for use in components such as passenger cabin flooring.

To meet strict aviation and rail safety standards, the material must be lightweight, mechanically robust, scalable, and flame-retardant. The new composite utilizes a multi-layered sandwich structure featuring an aramid honeycomb core. By applying specific solvents and heat, the sandwich structure can be decomposed back into its individual components, enabling a circular lifecycle.

The project was supported by Innosuisse and involves Elantas, a company belonging to the German specialty chemicals group ALTANA.