En route to realistic sustainable structural fiber-reinforced polymers in a circular economy

Abstract Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) have faced exponential growth for decades due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, permitting previously unreachable performances. In particular, in the necessity of diminishing the human overall environmental footprint, they allow safer, lighter, and more performing structures with on-demand properties and infinite engineered possibilities. As a consequence, substantial materials and energy savings can be expected. Yet, the environmental footprint of these materials and structures remains poor. This is attributed to their sourcing (oil-based mainly), their highly energy-intensive production, the complexity of the material, and the challenging handling of their end-of-life. Also, their highly multidisciplinary nature, requiring organic and polymer chemistry, material, processing, and mechanical engineering, among others, complexifies the interactions between actors to embrace and solve these issues fully. To this date, FRP industries remain a fully linear economy that cannot be carried in a (more) sustainable future. This review provides a multidisciplinary and extensive overview of current market needs and research development over all aspects of FRP to guide both research and markets toward sustainable and circular solutions. Sourcing, production, performances, and end-of-life are discussed, and, whenever possible, the environmental, economic, societal, and industrial needs are considered. The work intends to provide a general overview and future perspective to, one day, reach truly sustainable and circular structures.