Development of RTS-Compatible Carbon Fibre Tapes with3R Vitrimer Resin System

By implementation of the pilot-scale prepreg manufacturing line at the Composites and Smart Materials Lab (CSML) of the University of Ioannina, the TorPropel partners are producing carbon fiber tapes incorporating advanced 3R vitrimer resin. These tapes are specifically engineered for next-generation automated composite manufacturing to address the requirements of the Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) advanced placement method. This method will be employed to manufacture the project's final demonstrator: a complex, toroidal-shaped propeller.

Starting from fiber tows (rather than woven fabrics) allows us to create unidirectional tapes that minimises fiber crimp, unlocking the material's maximum theoretical strength and stiffness. This precise control over the tape thickness, fiber areal weight and impregnation quality, is critical for enabling the high-speed steering and complex ply geometries of the RTS process. Combined with recyclable vitrimer resin, we are paving the way for optimized, sustainable, high-performance structures.