Sustainability solutions

Carbon Nexus partnered with Danish wind turbine company Vestas in 2022 and 2023 to develop next-generation carbon fibre composites for wind turbine blades. Wind turbines account for 40% of global carbon fibre production. While carbon fibre is strong in tension, it is weak in compression, limiting blade length to 80–90 metres. Larger blades—approaching 200 metres—are needed to improve energy harvesting, but they pose significant materials challenges.  

In Round 1 (2022), Deakin researchers improved the compressive properties of carbon fibre by refining the microstructure and chemistry of both resin and fibre. This breakthrough enables longer blades, boosting energy output and reducing renewable energy costs. The team also developed a method to recover and reuse carbon fibres from end-of-service-life blades, supporting Vestas’ goal of zero waste by 2040. 

In Round 2 (2023), the team continued to optimise and scale up the most promising outcomes. Their focus remains on enhancing compression strength and creating high-value second-life applications for retired blades. 

RESEARCHER: Associate Professor Claudia Creighton 

Mud to Marle is an industry collaboration led by Full Circle Fibres with partners Deakin Institute for Frontier Materials and Loomtex, which aimed to transform lower-value wool fibre into high-value textile products by blending it with premium cotton. The project will pilot end-to-end onshore manufacturing in Australia, including spinning, knitting, weaving, and dyeing. 

Full Circle Fibres is a B Corp-certified social enterprise committed to ethical, traceable, and lifecycle-responsible fibre and fabric supply chains.  

With funding from the Country Road Climate Fund, the project sourced raw fibre, conducted dyeing, spinning, knitting, and weaving, and produced sample textiles. It also collected detailed data on water, energy, and logistics across the supply chain to assess the environmental benefits of scaling this model. 

The initiative places circularity and climate at its core, aiming to grow Australia’s onshore manufacturing capabilities and promote sustainable textile systems. By turning waste into value, Mud to Marle supports both environmental and economic outcomes for the fibre industry. 

RESEARCHER: Associate Professor Christopher Hurren

Deakin Institute for Frontier Materials’ award-winning Circular Denim project developed a process that pulverises denim waste into ultrafine colour particles, which are then used to print or coat undyed denim-coloured items. This innovation inspired further research into applying the process to synthetic fibre textiles, using waste sourced through Textile Recyclers Australia. 

Synthetic textile waste poses serious environmental challenges, including microplastic shedding, toxic chemical pollution, and non-biodegradable fibres. To address this, the Deakin Institute for Frontier Materials, supported by the Victorian Government’s Circular Economy Markets Fund, explored how different textile waste types could be processed into pigments for broader applications—such as vegan leather and art. 

To test commercial viability, natural pigments were provided to surf brand Rip Curl, which trialled them in its Bangladesh facility. The pigments performed well in water-based screen-printing, showing strong colour fastness on T-shirt art by Gamilaroi artist Elly Chatfield. 

This success led to the Perpetual Pigments project, a collaboration with Deakin University’s design and creative arts teams. Artists used IFM’s pigments—produced in primary colours, black, and ochre—in various artworks. The project culminated in the Perpetual Pigments: Sustainable Colour Continuous Culture exhibition at Geelong Design Week 2023, which won the top award in the Sustainability, Environment & Climate Innovation category at the Anthem Awards. 

RESEARCHER: Associate Professor Rangam Rajkhowa 

In a world-first achievement, the Deakin Institute for Frontier Materials produced a garment made entirely from 100% tree-free lyocell fibre in 2022. The fibre, known as Nullarbor™, was made from microbial cellulose fibres developed by biomaterials company Nanollose in collaboration with Birla Cellulose and Deakin. It was manufactured in India and spun into yarn by Deakin using standard industrial equipment, supported by the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF). 

Nullarbor™ fibre offers a forest-friendly alternative with minimal environmental impact. 

The yarn was provided to Victorian knitwear developer Knovus, who used zero-waste 3D knitting technology to produce two garments designed by Lee Mathews, along with sample swatches. The successful integration of Nullarbor™ into existing manufacturing systems demonstrates its commercial viability and compatibility with industrial-scale production.  

Following the successful pilot production of Nullarbor, Nanollose are keen to work further with Deakin to develop their processes and improve the scalability of their product offerings. 

The ARC Research Hub for Future Fibres, which connects Deakin with industry partners, played a key role in enabling this breakthrough.  

RESEARCHER: Associate Professor Rangam Rajkhowa, Dr Lucas Rosson 

Deakin Institute for Frontier Materials researchers, in collaboration with Geelong-based companies GT Recycling and Godfrey Hirst, have developed FibreCrete 100—an Australian-first solution that repurposes carpet fibre waste to reinforce concrete. This innovation offers a sustainable alternative for applications such as driveways, footpaths, cycle paths, and industrial hardstand areas. 

Globally, millions of tonnes of non-biodegradable carpet fibres are landfilled each year due to the difficulty and cost of recycling them. FibreCrete 100 addresses this issue by diverting carpet waste from landfill and transforming it into a valuable construction material. 

Through extensive research and testing, the team demonstrated that incorporating recycled carpet fibres into concrete enhances its durability and crack resistance. FibreCrete 100 has been successfully trialled on high-traffic industrial driveways, showing superior resilience compared to plain concrete. 

The product has gained industry recognition, receiving a Highly Commended Award from Carpet Recycling UK. It is expected to appeal to local councils and the industrial construction sector as a cost-effective and environmentally responsible solution. 

FibreCrete 100 exemplifies how circular economy principles can be applied to construction, turning waste into a resource while improving infrastructure performance. The collaboration between Deakin and local industry partners highlights the potential of innovative recycling technologies to reduce environmental impact and support sustainable development. 

RESEARCHER: Professor Lingxue Kong 

Deakin Institute for Frontier Materials researchers partnered with Renex Group to develop a breakthrough solution for remediating industrial soil contaminated with per-and-poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Instead of sending contaminated soil to landfill, the team demonstrated how heat-treated soil—free of PFAS—can be reused as fine aggregate in concrete and mortar. 

PFAS contamination poses serious environmental and health risks, and billions of tonnes of industrial waste are landfilled globally due to the lack of viable treatment options. Renex Group, a company specialising in transforming hazardous waste into energy and construction products, collaborated with Deakin to tackle this challenge using a circular economy approach. 

The process involves removing fluorine from soil emissions and converting it into calcium fluoride. By refluxing outgas back into the plant, final emissions are reduced to CO₂, heat, and water vapour—avoiding harmful fluorine release common in other methods. 

Lab testing confirmed that the remediated soil can produce high-strength concrete exceeding 40MPa. A successful field trial used the recycled aggregate in reinforced concrete slabs at a parking lot entrance, validating its performance in real-world conditions. 

The long-term goal is to deploy this technology via a field-portable system, enabling on-site remediation and reducing transport and disposal costs. This scalable solution could accelerate PFAS removal from the environment and support sustainable construction practices. 

RESEARCHER: Associate Professor Will Gates