Decade anniversary celebrations for Deakin’s Carbon Nexus facility

Deakin University’s Carbon Nexus research facility – home to what the university says is the world’s biggest open-access carbon fibre pilot line – will turn ten this month.

In a statement on Tuesday, Deakin said a key goal of the facility at its Waurn Ponds campus has been delivering scalable research outcomes to regional Victoria.

In its time, Carbon Nexus has partnered with companies including Vestas, PETRONAS, Ford, Boeing and Solvay. 

According to the university, the R&D facility has been a “catalyst for over 1,400 jobs” in the Geelong region — which was impacted by the winding down of Australia’s passenger car industry in the middle of the last decade — and employed skilled ex-auto workers.

Other wins include attracting Quickstep Holdings to move its automotive R&D from Germany to Geelong in 2015, and “significantly contribut[ing] to Carbon Revolution’s growth,” with the wheel-maker expected to achieve approximately $US 14.8 million in revenue this year.

Carbon Nexus Research Group Leader Professor Russell Varley said the facility supports sectors including aerospace, automotive, construction, renewable energy and oil and gas in research.

“I’m proud of the significant achievements we’ve made at Carbon Nexus so far. We’re working at the intersection of academia and industry to break new ground in the science and engineering of carbon fibre production,” said Varley.

“For example, we’ve created carbon fibre designed specifically for wind turbine blades, contributing to a zero-emission and renewable energy future. Looking ahead, we are also creating high-quality, sustainable carbon fibre, made entirely from agricultural waste.”

Picture: Deakin DVC Research and Innovation Professor Matthew Clarke, IFM Director Professor Sally McArthur, CSIRO Chief Scientist and Carbon Nexus co-founder Bronwyn Fox, and Varley

Further reading

The ideal stretching routine

Land Forces 2022 – Prime, SME collaboration drives composites for small arms manufacture

Deakin, Thales announce new carbon composite collaboration

Fibres and composites transforming industry: is green carbon fibre the new black?