Centre for Composites and Polymers - PROJECTS
CPC Projects
CLASS
The “Composite Lightweight Automotive Suspension System” (CLASS) project demonstrated the benefits of reducing the unsprung mass in chassis applications. The project was funded by Innovate UK and led by Ford Motor Company, in partnership with WMG, Gestamp Chassis and GRM. The tieblade-knuckle of a Ford Focus rear suspension system was selected as the technology demonstrator for the project. The final design utilised the performance and processing benefits of hybrid continuous and discontinuous carbon fibre composites. The optimized design and manufacturing process developed by WMG resulted in a single-shot moulded component, replacing the existing multi-piece fabricated steel part whilst achieving a 35% weight reduction.
eSHADOW
The “Electrified Structural Hybrid Automotive Designs for Optimized Weight” (eSHADOW) project is a weight reduction initiative focused on the ladder frame of the Ford Transit. Developed as a multi-material composite solution suitable for mass production, this Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) funded project brought together Ford Motor Company, Gestamp, Expert Tooling & Automation, and WMG. Utilizing the ‘Right Material in the Right Place’ philosophy, the project achieved a 40% weight reduction at an affordable cost. The hybrid material technology is underpinned by WMG’s innovative high-volume hybrid composite compression moulding process that combines high-performance prepreg and SMC and is capable of meeting the production target of 25,000 vehicles per annum.
ELEVATION
“Electric Lightweight Vehicle Platform And Digital Toolchain” (ELEVATION) is an APC-funded project to develop a battery electric vehicle platform for Aston Martin Lagonda. The project led by Aston Martin Lagonda and supported by the MTC, Expert Tooling Group, Creative Composites, Fuzzy Logic Studio and WMG addresses the technical challenges of developing a lightweight battery pack and twin front electric drive unit (EDU) into a modular BEV platform with a bandwidth from supercar to SUV. WMG's role is to conduct materials evaluation, and to develop and demonstrate automated manufacturing of hybrid composite battery pack structures.
ERGO-R
The “Emissions Reduction via Generative Optimisation & Recycling” (ERGO-R) project aims to identify ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in composite vehicle design and production. Partners Gestamp, Jaguar Land Rover, iCOMAT, Longworth, and WMG are reviewing design methodologies, manufacturing processes, materials, energy costs, recoverability, reuse, and recyclability. The aim is to consider the full embodied carbon footprint across a vehicle’s lifetime, creating a circular economy for composites in the automotive industry. WMG’s role in the project is to evaluate the performance of recycled carbon fibres (rCF) and their potential for use in mass-produced automotive components, including the development of rCF-SMC.
MULTILIGHT
The HVMC-funded project, “Enabling Lightweight Hybrid Multi-Material Solutions in High Volumes” (MultiLight), aims to develop and demonstrate processes that facilitate hybrid solutions based on thermoplastic composites (TPCs) for the automotive industry using three key technologies: (1) injection overmoulding, (2) extrusion compression co-moulding, and for lower volumes, (3) additive manufacturing using a robotic extruder to 3D print short fibre compound onto a TPC laminate. The project focuses on technology development, process and performance optimisation, simulation, and demonstration. We are investigating the potential to use reclaimed or recycled TPCs in hybrid overmoulded structures and have also explored the potential of biocomposites. Additionally, the potential to introduce functionalities such as integrated structural health monitoring (SHM) is under investigation. In the related ENLIGHTEN project, financed by the Dutch Research Council (NWO), we are developing methodologies for conducting parametric analyses to examine the influence of material and processing parameters on interface formation in overmoulded parts.
FLEXSEA
Seaweeds present a promising sustainable bio-based feedstock for producing valuable chemicals and materials, offering an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel-derived plastics. FlexSea Ltd is developing innovative biomaterials using hydrocolloid extracts from red seaweeds to create sustainable packaging solutions. In this Innovate UK-funded project, FlexSea, in collaboration with WMG and 2M, a leading company in the cosmetic and personal care specialty sector, aims to enhance the properties of this novel biopolymer for use in cosmetic pots. The project focuses on improving the water-oil barrier performance to make it suitable for cosmetic formulations. Leveraging our expertise in polymer processing, WMG will examine the impact of processing on the biomaterial's properties and establish the requirements for scaling up production.
POLYMATERIA
This project is part of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) initiative, funded by Innovate UK. In 2020, Polymateria Ltd utilized their additive-based Biotransformation technology to achieve certified biodegradation of the most commonly littered forms of polyolefin packaging under real-world conditions within a year, without generating microplastics. To extend the effectiveness of their Biotransformation technology to highly crystalline polyolefins like HDPE and PP, it is crucial to manipulate polymer crystallinity and microstructure. WMG will assist Polymateria in developing additive masterbatches for these highly crystalline polyolefins, ensuring that essential packaging functionalities, such as gas barrier properties and recyclability, are maintained.
REPOUROSING TPC
Composite manufacturing waste typically includes end-of-roll scraps or offcuts of pre-impregnated sheets (prepregs), which can account for 30-40% of the initial material. This collaborative project between WMG and Van Wees - UD and Crossply Technology B.V. aims to repurpose manufacturing waste of thermoplastic composites (TPCs), thereby increasing resource efficiency and reducing landfill disposal. The project focuses on developing viable processes to reuse waste streams from unidirectional tapes, particularly for applications in the automotive industry. Both experimental and numerical methods are being employed to examine the effects of chip or flake size, shape, orientation, meso-scale architectures, and moulding technologies on the processability and properties of the recycled composites. The goal is to optimize the production of discontinuous long fibre (DLF) thermoplastic composites from recycled materials.
MONOFILM
Driven by the mandate that all plastic packaging must be recyclable by 2030, the plastics industry is actively pursuing mono-material solutions. The “Mono-Material Barrier Films for Sustainable and Circular Plastic Packaging Applications” (MonoFilm) project is dedicated to replacing hard-to-recycle multilayer films with fully recyclable alternatives made entirely of polyolefins (PO). The primary objective of this research is to develop a fully recyclable, all-polyolefin barrier film with enhanced gas impermeability. This ambitious project aims to compete with existing commercial solutions, such as multilayer polymer films based on EVOH, PA, or PET, which currently dominate high-barrier packaging applications but present significant recycling challenges.
BIOCHAR
A collaborative effort between Queen's University Belfast, Queen Mary University of London, and WMG is leading groundbreaking research in the sustainable manufacturing of elastomer products within a circular economy. This EPSRC-funded project aims to explore the potential of biobased and recyclable rubbers, as well as alternative sustainable fillers such as biochar and lignin. WMG is spearheading the investigation into these sustainable fillers, evaluating their effectiveness in various elastomers, including biobased thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs). By integrating these eco-friendly materials, the research seeks to enhance the mechanical properties and sustainability of elastomer products, thereby advancing the development of a circular economy in the elastomer industry.
PLASTIC RECYCLING
The “Plastics Analysis, Sorting & Recycling Technologies Through Intelligent Classification” (PLASTIC) project aims to revolutionize plastics sorting and recycling by leveraging machine learning (ML). This HVMC and EPSRC-funded project will develop a digitally enabled solution to accurately identify and sort plastics within mixed waste streams, facilitating a globally applicable approach to creating a more circular economy for plastics. By combining ML principles with real-time process monitoring data during extrusion compounding, using in-line rheometry, the project will create an integrated digital environment. The data-driven recycling system will enable the prediction of the processability and properties of recyclates, and inform decisions on the most efficient enhancement of recyclates with additives to meet specific requirements
GREENPART
We have a long-standing track record and international leadership in natural fibre composites (NFCs) and self-reinforced polymer composites (SRPCs), with activity dating back to the mid-1990s. Within the HVM Catapult-funded GREENPART project, we built on this heritage to focus specifically on the application of NFCs and SRPCs in semi-structural automotive components. While natural fibre composites are well established in interior parts, recent advances in woven and UD fabrics, prepregs, and short-fibre injection-moulding compounds have opened opportunities for higher-load applications. GREENPART assessed material supply chains, identified challenges, and demonstrated the suitability of biobased composites for more demanding automotive uses. A key focus was our overmoulding technology, combining continuous fibre reinforcements with short-fibre compounds to produce integrated, semi-structural parts. In parallel, our extensive SRPC experience - including the development of a commercial SRPP grade alongside work on HDPE, PET, LCP, PLA, PHA, and cellulose-based systems - enabled fully recyclable monomaterial solutions with mechanical performance competitive with glass-fibre composites, reinforcing our position as world leaders in sustainable composites.
EPSRC SEP HUB
The EPSRC Sustainable Engineering Plastics (SEP) Hub brings together leading researchers and innovators from academia and industry to reduce waste, promote greener manufacturing practices, and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The SEP Hub is a seven-year, £13 million EPSRC-funded programme, led by CPC and the University of Warwick, in collaboration with the University of Manchester and University College London.The Hub is supported by over 60 industry partners, reflecting strong industrial commitment to sustainable plastics innovation. Despite their critical role in meeting performance, economic, and low-carbon targets across sectors such as automotive, construction, and electrical engineering, engineering plastics present significant sustainability challenges. With new legislation mandating product reuse, increased material recycling, and minimum recycled content, the SEP Hub is uniquely positioned to address these demands. Working closely with industry, the SEP Hub will address five interconnected research challenges across the plastics value chain:
RADICAL
The Recyclable Advanced Demonstrator for Interior Circularity and Lightweighting (RADICAL) project aims to integrate functionality into a large interior structure through innovative hybridisation and joining, demonstrating circularity and reductions in mass, cost and disassembly time. Jaguar Land Rover, WMG, Sanko Gosei and Impact Recycling formed the RADICAL consortium to develop, test and recycle a structural mono-material interior component with integrated functionality. This approach will enable multiple interior automotive commodities to reduce manufacturing emissions, component count, weight, cost, manufacturing and assembly processes, as well as drastically reduce the costs associated with recovering the materials at end-of-life. The RADICAL project will be a crucial stepping stone in the transformation towards net zero and future EU circularity directives for automotive components.
HYBRID ARCHITECTURES
Hybrid architecture composites for high-volume manufacturing examine how combining continuous and discontinuous fibre reinforcements can enable high-performance, single-shot production of complex automotive components. While well-suited to high-volume manufacturing, hybrid moulding requires high pressures to flow sheet moulding compound (SMC). These pressures can distort prepreg architectures and fibre tows, leading to reduced mechanical performance. This project investigates how textile design influences these deformation mechanisms using, among other methods, squeeze-flow testing. Key variables include filament count per tow, weave pattern, and targeted stitching as a practical means of reducing distortion in critical regions, thereby supporting more robust hybrid composite designs. In addition to hybridisation of fibre architectures, the project also examines material hybridisation through the combination of different resin systems, such as epoxy-based prepregs integrated with vinyl ester–based SMC.
ENFORM
Short-fibre reinforced thermoplastics (SFRPs) are widely used in automotive and electrical applications but are often exposed to harsh conditions such as elevated temperature, oxygen, and moisture. Over time, these environments cause irreversible degradation of the polymer matrix, including molecular weight changes, cross-linking, and morphological evolution, as well as deterioration of the fibre–matrix interface. Together, these processes significantly reduce mechanical performance and long-term durability.The ENFORM (Environmental effects on the long-term mechanical performance of short-fibre-reinforced thermoplastics ) project investigates the mechanisms governing the ageing behaviour of SFRPs with different engineering polymer matrices. Ageing induced by temperature, moisture, and oxygen will be studied, with emphasis on hydrolytic and thermo-oxidative processes. Both short-term mechanical properties and long-term behaviour such as creep and fatigue will be analysed. In addition, physics-assisted AI models will be developed to predict property evolution during ageing, aiming to reduce experimental effort while improving lifetime predictions.The project is sponsored by the Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), a leading international research platform that brings industry and academia together to drive pre-competitive, fundamental research in polymers.
SMART TOOLING
Within the EPSRC-funded ESTEEM and ECOTOOL projects, we developed ultra–low-energy manufacturing routes and smart tooling for advanced composites by embedding smart conductive pathways that enable highly localised Joule heating. The technology delivers over 90% energy reduction while maintaining full mechanical and thermomechanical performance, and requires no change to existing fibres, resins, or curing cycles. Fully compatible with infusion and prepreg processes, this approach offers a drop-in solution for automotive, aerospace, marine and defence applications. It also enables new functionalities such as sensing, de-icing and cure-on-demand manufacturing. The project is delivered in collaboration with MIT (USA), Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London, Loughborough University and Gen2Carbon, strengthening scientific foundations and accelerating industrial adoption toward Net-Zero manufacturing. In the EPSRC-funded VARIOTHERM feasibility project, we developed thermoelectric variothermal tooling for optimised composite manufacturing. This patented technology uses arrays of independently controlled Peltier modules to achieve rapid, localised heating and cooling of mould tools for both thermosetting and thermoplastic composites.
ELECTRICAL SENSING
With more than 15 years of pioneering research in electrical resistance-based sensing, our group leads the development of multifunctional sensing composite materials capable of detecting strain, cracks, delamination, impact damage, and fatigue, through embedded conductive networks. Building on this foundation, we are advancing Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) to generate spatial maps of internal damage, resin flow and cure development. These lightweight and low-cost sensing solutions integrate seamlessly into composite structures without compromising performance. The technology supports digital manufacturing, predictive maintenance and the reuse of composite components in second-life applications, providing confidence and traceability for future circular composite systems.
EASY REPAIRS
This project introduces a scalable and industry-ready solution for repeatable repair of composite laminates using thin thermoplastic interleaves. Components can be damaged, healed and redeployed multiple times while retaining peak load and fracture toughness, reducing waste and extending service life. The approach is fully compatible with multiple resin systems and existing manufacturing routes, requiring no changes to material formulations or curing conditions. The interleaves also enable built-in damage sensing through electrical resistance measurement, providing immediate feedback on damage and repair. Designed for high-rate production and continuous processing, this methodology supports circular-economy ambitions across automotive, aerospace, wind energy and marine structures.
DISCOS
Composite materials are widely used but difficult to recycle, often ending up in landfill or low-value applications. DISCOS (Dismantling of Composite Structures) addresses this challenge by developing an innovative dismantling concept that allows composite structures to be safely and efficiently taken apart at the end of their life. By enabling controlled separation without damaging materials, the project supports reuse, high-value recycling, and circular design. DISCOS aims to help the industry move toward more sustainable, dismantle-ready composite structures and reduce environmental impact across their full lifecycle.
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