Closing the Performance Gap in Nonwoven Composites
- Soarce
- Apr 7
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 21
How a bio-based nanofiber additive is making recycled carbon fiber structurally viable — and raising the performance ceiling for conventional nonwovens.
Published 2026 Category Material Insights Tags Composites · Nonwovens · Recycled Carbon Fiber · NanoSize™
The Hidden Weakness
in Composites
An estimated 80% of composite failures initiate at the fiber-resin interface. Conventional sizing agents create relatively smooth interfaces that limit mechanical load transfer between fiber and matrix, contributing to micro-cracking and delamination. For recycled carbon fiber — where the recycling process destroys the original sizing entirely — this interface limitation becomes the single largest barrier to broader adoption.
NanoSize™, developed by Soarce, is a bio-based nanofiber additive that transforms the fiber-resin interface from a passive compatibility layer into an active reinforcement mechanism. Derived from seaweed and hemp, NanoSize integrates directly into existing water-based binder systems used in wet-laid nonwoven manufacturing, without changes to fibers, resins, or processing lines.
 | [Failure Prone] Smooth Surface of Traditional Fibers Minimal mechanical interlocking limiting stress transfer |
 | [Optimized] 3D Interlocking Surface Boosts interlaminar properties 30-50% via mechanical interlocking. (2.5x Surfrace Area) |
Making Recycled Carbon Fiber Structurally Viable
Recycled carbon fiber costs 20–50% less than virgin fiber with a 96–99% lower energy footprint. However, rCF composites consistently suffer 10–40% mechanical property degradation compared to virgin carbon fiber, primarily from surface damage, sizing loss, and fiber length reduction during recycling. The degraded fiber-matrix interface confines rCF to semi-structural and non-structural applications, locking out automotive structural panels, aerospace secondary structures, and high-performance sporting goods.
NanoSize nanocellulose fibers, dispersed into the aqueous binder used in wet-laid manufacturing, deposit onto each reinforcement fiber surface during forming. The nanofibers create a high-surface-area, three-dimensional interlocking network that increases fiber surface roughness by approximately 2.5× — from 2.11 nm on bare fiber to 5.21 nm — dramatically improving both mechanical interlocking and chemical adhesion. NanoSize effectively replaces the sizing destroyed during recycling, restoring and in many cases exceeding the interfacial performance of the original virgin fiber.
35-113% Flexural Modulus 8.03 → 17.1 GPa | 37-53% Flexural Strength 117 → 189 MPa | 45% Tear Strength Production handling | 20-30% Tensile Strength 113 → 144 MPa |
The +113% flexural modulus gain means NanoSize-enhanced rCF composites can approach or exceed the stiffness of standard virgin carbon fiber nonwovens, opening applications previously closed to recycled material. The +45% tear strength improvement addresses an equally critical production problem — rCF nonwovens are notoriously fragile, tearing during handling, cutting, and layup. In pultrusion, veil breakage inside the die forces full production shutdowns. The tear strength gain makes rCF nonwovens substantially more processable, reducing scrap rates and enabling faster manufacturing throughput.
Our nanocellulose-based coating represents a fundamental shift by transforming the interface into an active reinforcement mechanism. Mason Mincey - Soarce COO
Elevating Conventional Nonwoven Performance
The case for NanoSize in conventional nonwovens is defined by opportunity. Existing products already in production can be measurably improved without changing equipment, process parameters, or fiber inputs. Because NanoSize integrates directly into the binder system — the common denominator across all wet-laid nonwovens — it enhances performance from a single point of integration.
Drop-In Binder Integration
Dispersion
Nanosize nanofibers are added to the existing aqueous binder - PVA, acrylic, or epoxy-compatible - with no reformulation.
Deposition
During forming, nanofibers deposit onto fiber surfaces, creating a 3D interlocking network.
Enhancement
Surface roughness increases ~2.5x, improving mechanical interlock and chemical adhesion with the matrix resin.
In Resin Transfer Moulding and High-Pressure RTM — the dominant processes for volume automotive composites — enhanced rCF mats narrow the performance gap versus virgin carbon fiber, enabling qualification of recycled materials for secondary structure applications that currently require virgin fiber. Enhanced thermoplastic interleaving veils deliver greater fracture toughness per unit thickness, allowing thinner interleaves that preserve more laminate volume for load-bearing plies.
Compression moulding of rCF nonwoven mats is the fastest-growing application for recycled carbon fiber in composites, producing automotive panels, interior components, tooling, and semi-structural parts at cycle times suitable for volume production. The +113% flexural modulus and +53% flexural strength improvements demonstrated on NanoSize-enhanced rCF nonwovens translate directly to compression-moulded parts, enabling rCF to replace virgin CF in semi-structural automotive applications, or allowing downgauging for additional weight savings without sacrificing performance.
Where NanoSize
Creates Value
NanoSize is designed as a drop-in additive compatible with existing water-based sizing and binder chemistries across the full breadth of composite manufacturing — from compression moulding and RTM to VARI, filament winding, and prepreg/autoclave processing. Near-term applications are concentrated in the nonwovens segment, where integration is straightforward and performance improvements translate directly into stronger, lighter composite parts across sporting goods, motorsports, and select aerospace applications. In parallel, Soarce is working with leading fiber and binder suppliers to tailor formulations for larger-scale markets including fiberglass sizing, automotive rCF structural panels, and wind energy surfacing veils.
At 10× lower cost than carbon nanomaterials, through a non-toxic chemistry derived from renewable biomass, and as a drop-in additive requiring no process modification, NanoSize represents a commercially viable path to meaningfully better composites. For recycled carbon fiber, that means closing the performance gap that has confined rCF to non-structural roles. For conventional nonwovens, it means a new performance tier from existing production lines, existing equipment, and existing supply chains.
Rather than compensating for interfacial weakness through overengineering, this technology redefines the baseline of composite performance at the source. Mason Mincey - Soarce COO
Explore NanoSize™ for Your Application
Contact Soarce to discuss integration into your nonwoven or composite program.
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