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Industries are facing a call to evolve manufacturing beyond traditional methods and materials, with enhanced sustainability and resource efficiency forming the new global expectations of businesses. Prized for its exceptional lightweight and high-strength properties, carbon fibre is in high demand, and Carbon Nexus is partnering with innovative industries to harness its opportunities and build the future of manufacturing.
Carbon Nexus’ world-class facility and internationally acclaimed research team make us the ultimate destination for industries looking to design and develop the next generation of fit-for-purpose, resource-efficient carbon fibre materials and structures.
Our open-access research and pilot carbon fibre lines are fully instrumented and designed for industry partners to flexibly explore, test, optimise, develop, and manufacture your new carbonisation innovations. You will have the unique opportunity to carbonise your precursors in a secure environment that offers expert support, project scalability, and airtight security away from the pressures of commercial conditions.
Carbon Nexus’ success has driven the growth of the Future Economy Precinct, where industrial partners are co-located on the Deakin University campus together to accelerate the commercialisation of advanced manufacturing technologies.
Carbon Nexus’ industry partners are diverse in both enterprise and background, and come from all corners of Australia, stretching beyond our shores to international businesses and industries excited to collaborate with us.
Some of our proud industry partners include:
The transition to net zero is a complex global goal, but one that is achievable through new and superior materials that bolster sustainability efforts instead of hindering them. Carbon fibre has exceptional strength, is low weight, and is resistant to corrosion making it the ideal material for use across the energy sector. At Carbon Nexus, Institute for Frontier Materials researchers are ready to partner with companies to use carbon fibre to propel the industry towards a sustainable energy future.
Carbon fibre is ideal for energy industry projects such as:
VESTAS PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Carbon Nexus has partnered with Vestas, a Danish wind turbine company, to develop next-generation carbon fibre and composite materials for wind turbine blades that are sustainable, low cost and high performing. The research team, led by Prof Russell Varley and Dr Claudia Creighton, explores new strategies to solve the challenges of improving the compression properties of carbon fibres and their composites, and creating a high-value second life for end-of-life wind turbine blades.
PARTNER: Vestas
RESEARCH TEAM: Professor Russell Varley, Dr Claudia Creighton
As the world is on the move to a new future of sustainability and efficiency, the transport industry is joining the momentum with a new breed of carbon fibre materials and products that can transform the way we travel.
Carbon fibre has superior strength, is lightweight, and corrosion resistant making it ideal for the transport sector and a popular choice for aerospace, automotive and sport applications, such as bicycles.
The top benefits of carbon fibre for the transport sector include:
CARBON REVOLUTION PROJECT SNAPSHOT
Carbon Revolution has rapidly established itself as the recognised leader in the production of lightweight carbon fibre wheels for the global automotive industry. The company has progressed from single prototypes to designing and manufacturing wheels at a commercial scale for some of the most prestigious brands in the world. And the company has penetrated the performance and premium end of the automotive market with 18 awarded OEM programs for Ford, Ferrari, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover and Renault. Carbon Revolution is working with researchers from Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials based at Carbon Nexus to develop new products and process technologies to support the expansion of manufacturing capabilities for single-piece carbon fibre wheels.
PARTNER: Carbon Revolution
RESEARCH TEAM: Professor Russell Varley
One of Carbon Nexus’ core objectives is to positively reshape the world of Australian and global manufacturing by developing lightweight, low-cost, and energy efficient carbon fibres to meet the demands of the global economy.
At Carbon Nexus, our research is directed at meeting the manufacturing needs of industry partners to help you harness the advantages of a growing carbon fibre market and achieve your strategic goals. Manufacturers will have unique access to our research and development team with an unparalleled suite of infrastructure that can support emerging industries and future innovators of carbon fibre products.
Our carbon fibre manufacturing consulting services include:
The defence industry has some of the world’s toughest jobs, calling for some of the world’s best and most versatile carbon fibre capabilities.
Institute for Frontier Materials researchers based at Carbon Nexus have designed ground-breaking materials and equipment for our defence forces that are lighter, stronger, and more superior.
Carbon Nexus has access to Deakin’s defence expertise and capabilities to customise carbon fibre and composites to meet a range of different applications.
DMTC PROJECT SNAPSHOT:
Together with DMTC, IFM researchers have developed deep drawing technology with no splices (no cuts) to construct combat helmets that are lighter, stronger, better performing, and cheaper to produce than previous designs.
In the past, it seemed impossible to shape and bend ballistic fabrics without wrinkling the material. However, IFM researchers developed a unique process – Double Diaphragm Deep Drawing (D4) – which curves and hardens the Kevlar-style ballistic fibres into the correct shape. Researchers designed a special plant that uses thermal (heat) forming to shear the fibres in ultra-high molecular weight ballistic fabric. The result was perfectly shaped shells that are 20 to 30 per cent lighter than current helmets.
The helmets passed the US Helmet standard and demonstrated its potential for other composite forming applications.
PARTNER: DMTC
RESEARCHER: Professor Minoo Naebe
Strong, lightweight and long-lasting – carbon fibre composites are the ideal material for the mining industry. Corrosion costs the global economy billions of dollars each year due to costly maintenance programs and reduced-service lifetimes. However, drawing from the expert knowledge in both carbon fibre and composites, and resins at Carbon Nexus, mining companies can develop solutions to their biggest challenges, including corrosion and maintenance, new ways to reuse mining waste, and the improved performance of mining components.
PETRONAS PROJECT SNAPSHOT
A breakthrough self-healing coating, developed by IFM researchers at Carbon Nexus, has been successfully applied in the field. The project, in collaboration with global energy group PETRONAS and led by IFM’s Professor Russell Varley, has resulted in self-healing coatings that automatically eliminate cracks or scratches on their surface, preventing rust and long-term deterioration.
The coating utilises tough polyurethane and dynamic boronic ester linkages, allowing for self-healing triggered by moisture. This inherent characteristic enables repeated healing in the same location. Unlike previous research, this coating offers excellent long-term durability and performance while maintaining self-healing properties.
The innovation extends beyond the energy industry, with potential applications in offshore platforms, pipelines and wind turbines where repairs are costly and challenging. The coatings can preserve the built environment and structures better and for longer, reducing cost and enhancing resource efficiencies.
PARTNER: PETRONAS
RESEARCH TEAM: Professor Russell Varley, Dr Claudia Creighton, Dr Maxime Maghe
ALBERTA INNOVATES PROJECT SNAPSHOT:
Canada’s Alberta Innovates’ Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge (GFGC) granted $850,000 to a Carbon Nexus research team to develop low-cost carbon fibre from Alberta oilsand asphaltene (AOA). GFGC aims to accelerate the development of large-scale production pathways for short and continuous carbon fibre from bitumen-derived asphaltenes in Alberta, promoting their use in manufactured products. Using the unique facilities at Carbon Nexus, the team were able to successfully demonstrate an AOA-based carbon fibre with the performance exceeding Department of Energy (DOE) target.
PARTNER: Alberta Innovates
RESEARCH TEAM: Professor Minoo Naebe, Dr Ramdayal Yadav, Dr Kamyar Shirvanimoghaddam, Dr Sobhan Fakhr
Professor Minoo Naebe leads a research team in the field of high-performance materials, focusing on functional and sustainable polymer-based materials for various applications in automotive, construction, oil and gas.
Learn more about how Professor Naebe’s team is leading the way in ground-breaking innovations.
Carbon Nexus is part of the $4.7 million ARC Research Hub for Future Fibres. Through the hub and with our industry partners Carbon Revolution and Quickstep Automotive Pty Ltd, we are developing advanced carbon fibres to support more sustainable and advanced manufacturing.
Institute for Frontier Materials researchers at Carbon Nexus is part of the Australian Composites Manufacturing CRC which aims to transform Australia’s established composite technologies capability into a world-class, highly automated, digitally enabled network of designers, manufacturers, and service providers.
Carbon Nexus has access to Deakin University’s Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH), which facilitates the development of greener supply chains and collaborates with industry partners to pioneer a sustainable circular economy. Based at Deakin’s world-leading Geelong Future Economy Precinct, REACH works with industry, government, and education partners to establish a multi-billion-dollar bioeconomy in Victoria.
Carbon Nexus is always on the lookout for high-quality Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates who are curious problem solvers with a passion for research. Higher degrees by research are fee-free for domestic candidates.