Screening of carbon fiber reinforced composites for reduced fiber usage in type IV hydrogen pressure vessels

This work presents a structured screening of seven alternative carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) systems for use in Type IV hydrogen pressure vessels. The objective was to reduce carbon fiber usage while maintaining mechanical integrity and industrial viability. The investigated configurations included matrix-modified epoxies, chemically functionalized fibers, and a high-strength fiber variant. All laminates were manufactured using wet filament winding and assessed through standardized mechanical and thermal testing. To capture industrial relevance beyond material performance, a criteria-based evaluation framework was applied, incorporating processability, cost, scalability, sustainability, and regulatory compatibility. The results show that most variants achieved structural performance comparable to the reference system. A combined nanofiller–silane matrix delivered the highest strength values but exhibited reduced process stability, while a silane-modified matrix provided a more balanced performance profile with favorable practical scores. A radar-based comparison across five evaluation axes highlights trade-offs between mechanical performance and implementation feasibility. The study demonstrates that multi-dimensional screening approaches are essential for identifying viable composite systems at an early development stage. The proposed evaluation framework is transferable in its methodological structure and decision logic, while absolute numerical scores remain application- and dataset-dependent.