Study of carbon fiber reinforced polymers technology and market

The growing knowledge and awareness of the environmental condition have driven to governments to implement restrictions on energy use, levels of efficiency and resources use, aiming for higher sustainability targets. Transportation an energy sectors have found on CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers) technology a solution to achieve the highest levels of mechanical performance under low weights and is therefore a key enabling technology that makes possible the electric and hydrogen vehicles, the wind energy production and reduced levels of air transport emissions among others. This Master Thesis comprehends the study of the CFRP technological from a technical and market perspective pursuing the holistic comprehension of the system. This analysis will employ bibliographic references, quantitative and qualitative analysis and graphical visualizations to decompose complexity and to compile key data for the reader. For market forecasting time series forecasting techniques will be employed. At technical level the study covers the definition of the CFRP systems and subsystems/components, their characterization, production, manufacturing, the state of the art on the design methodology, recyclability and life-cycle assessment. This study will also detail current applications of the CFRP technology on multiple products. The market study involves the analysis of the European political context and regulations affecting CFRP adoption, the stakeholders of the system, the cost analysis of the CFRP, market quantification and the future market forecasting. The study produced has compiled relevant information from multiple sources in a summarized, relational and organized way, it has also produced useful datasets of CFRP technology and market; qualitative and quantitative analysis together with data visualization techniques have revealed multiple insights. The lifecycle assessment has quantified the environmental effects of CFRP production. A forecast of CFRP sells, prices and mar