Carbon fibre is already the go-to material when you need something strong yet lightweight — think racing cars and aircraft. But the current generation has hit its ceiling. MODCOMP figured out how to treat and modify carbon fibres at the nano level so they gain extra abilities: better strength, electrical conductivity, and heat management, all without blowing up production costs. They even created flexible electronic memory devices built on carbon nanofibre films — imagine electronics you can bend and fold.
named prototype families built (SleekFast, AdShel, SecureShel)
The business problem
What needed solving
Manufacturers in transport, construction, and electronics need materials that are lighter, stronger, and multifunctional — but current carbon fibre has hit its performance ceiling. Pushing past these limits typically means expensive lab-grade solutions that don't scale to factory floors. Companies need production-ready advanced composites that add electrical and thermal functionality without sacrificing structural strength or breaking the budget.
The solution
What was built
The project built 3 named demonstrator prototypes — SleekFast, AdShel, and SecureShel — with completed production moulds and standard manufactured shell-type units. They also delivered working memory arrays on both hard and flexible substrates for carbon nanofibre-based electronics. In total, 11 demonstration deliverables were completed across transport, construction, and electronics applications.
Audience
Who needs this
Automotive and aerospace composite part manufacturers needing lighter, stronger componentsConstruction companies producing modular shelters, panels, or protective enclosuresFlexible electronics manufacturers developing wearable devices or smart packagingSporting goods companies using carbon fibre in high-performance equipmentElectronics companies exploring bendable memory or circuit technologies
Business applications
Who can put this to work
Aerospace & Automotive
enterprise
Target: Tier 1-2 automotive or aerospace component suppliers
If you are a component manufacturer struggling with weight reduction targets while maintaining structural performance — this project developed carbon fibre composites with enhanced mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties, validated through the "SleekFast" demonstrator prototype. With 10 industry partners across 11 countries testing scalability, the results are designed for real production lines, not just labs.
Construction & Protective Structures
mid-size
Target: Manufacturers of shelters, enclosures, or modular building panels
If you are a construction materials company looking for lighter, tougher panel or shell structures — this project built and tested two dedicated demonstrators: "AdShel" and "SecureShel", both advanced materials prototypes with production moulds already created. These shell-type units were manufactured to standard specifications, meaning the path from prototype to your product line is shorter than starting from scratch.
Flexible Electronics
SME
Target: Printed electronics or wearable device manufacturers
If you are an electronics manufacturer exploring flexible circuits or bendable memory components — this project delivered working memory arrays on both hard and flexible substrates, progressing to a final memory array. Carbon nanofibre-based flexible electronics open doors for wearable sensors, smart packaging, or foldable displays without the brittleness of traditional silicon.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
What would it cost to adopt these modified carbon fibre materials in our production?+
The project specifically targeted cost-effective production processes and final products. While exact per-unit costs are not published in the available data, the Innovation Action funding scheme means the consortium focused on industrially viable pricing, not just lab-scale feasibility. Contact the consortium for detailed cost projections.
Can this scale to industrial production volumes?+
Yes — the demonstrators were explicitly designed to fulfil scalability towards industrial needs, with 10 industry partners validating the approach. Standard shell-type manufacturing units were produced, and prototype moulds for SleekFast, AdShel, and SecureShel were completed, indicating readiness for production tooling.
What is the IP situation — can we license this technology?+
With 17 partners across 11 countries including 6 SMEs, IP ownership is shared under the consortium agreement. Licensing specific techniques (surface modification, CNF flexible electronics) would need to be negotiated with the relevant partner holding that IP. The coordinator at the National Technical University of Athens can direct you to the right contact.
Which industries have already tested these materials?+
End users from transport, construction, leisure, and electronics sectors adapted the project knowledge and tested the demonstrators. Three named prototype families were built: SleekFast (likely transport/speed applications), AdShel and SecureShel (shelter/construction applications), plus flexible memory arrays for electronics.
How long would integration into our existing manufacturing take?+
The project ran for 4 years (2016–2020) and progressed from material development through to completed prototype moulds and demonstrators. Since moulds and standard manufacturing structures already exist, integration into an existing composite production line would be significantly faster than developing from zero. Based on available project data, timeline depends on your specific application.
Is there regulatory or standards support for these materials?+
The project included dedicated standardisation work and production of reference materials as part of its scope. This means the consortium worked on establishing measurement and quality benchmarks that would support regulatory approval in your sector.
Consortium
Who built it
MODCOMP assembled a strong, industry-heavy consortium of 17 partners across 11 countries, with 59% industry participation and 6 SMEs — well above average for materials research. The coordinator is the National Technical University of Athens (Greece), a leading engineering institution. The mix of 10 industry players, 3 universities, and 4 research organizations means the science was continuously stress-tested against real manufacturing requirements. Partners span Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Ukraine, and UK, giving broad European market coverage. For a business looking to adopt these materials, the wide industry representation means there are likely partners already working in your sector who understand your constraints.
The coordinator is the National Technical University of Athens (Ethnicon Metsovion Polytechnion), Greece. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the right technical contact within the consortium.
Want to know if MODCOMP's carbon fibre technology fits your product line? SciTransfer can arrange a focused briefing with the consortium partners most relevant to your application — transport, construction, or flexible electronics.
