Carbon fibre reinforced polymer was invented ~50 years ago by a team of engineers at the
Royal Aircraft Establishment. It is a structural composite material with a unique combination
of properties that makes it strong, stiff and light: carbon fibre structure of equal strength will
often weigh 1/5th that of steel.
Virtually all CF manufactured worldwide is used in combination with a binding matrix to
produce carbon composites such as carbon fibre reinforced plastics. The weight saving
achieved through use of carbon composites has made them a material of choice for many
industries looking for efficiency gains, such as aerospace, automotive and wind turbines,
opening up new engineering possibilities.
However, although carbon fibre composite offers many structural advantages, as well as a
distinctive and desirable visual appearance due to the woven structure of the fibres, its use in
product design has been restricted by carbon fibre’s intrinsic black colouration.
Where colour has been mandated for performance and/or aesthetic reasons, it has been applied
during post-processing, incurring expense, adding unwanted weight, and, frequently, the
requirement for routine maintenance, often in challenging environments, e.g. off-shore wind
turbines.
Utilising proprietary technology and expertise initially developed for Formula 1 motor racing,
GPF One is seeking to develop and commercialise a portfolio of coloured carbon composites.
In the proposed project, GPF One intends to assess the market potential for its novel coloured
carbon composite through engagement with industry specialists and prospective users.