Three Deakin graduates have established the world's first recycled carbon fibre surfboard company, with the help of Deakin University's SPARK Deakin Accelerator 2020 program.
The group's Jan Juc startup company, JUC Surf, is set to hit the Australian market with their revolutionary boards made entirely of carbon fibre material that would otherwise be headed for landfill.
Aerospace engineers Dr Filip Stojcevski and Andreas Hendlmeier, along with organic chemist James Randall, combined their advanced knowledge of carbon fibre manufacturing, electrochemistry and material interfaces to overcome the technical hurdles of using recycled carbon fibre to create a robust, affordable, high-performance surfboard.
The trio were inspired by their interactions with world-famous Torquay-based surfboard shaper Eiji Shiomoto.
JUC Surf team - Right to left: Dr Filip Stojcevski, James Randall and Andreas Hendlmeier
Dr Stojcevski said.
"While carbon fibre is an amazing material, more than 45,000 tonnes of it is thrown into landfill each year. By using the principles of engineering and chemistry we learnt at Deakin, we've created surfboards that we're confident people will love, with the added benefits to the environment in reducing landfill too."
"This is a world-first commercial application of cutting -edge research that highlights the strengths of Geelong's carbon fibre industry and the Surf Coast community."
Sick of seeing carbon fibre in landfill, these guys gave it a second life as surfboards (Source ABC News)
"We're confident that our boards are stronger, lighter and more durable than conventional e-glass fibre-reinforced boards, but cost around the same price. Until now, carbon fibre surfboards have been too rigid and prone to delamination, due to micro-cracks in the carbon fibre interface. We've used advanced electrochemistry to improve the properties of surface-modified hydrophobic carbon fibres and recycled fibres to solve the problem."
Dr Stojcevski completed his Deakin PhD with Boeing R&T Aerospace, where he worked on improving surface treatments that make carbon fibre adhere to resin, while international student Andreas Hendlmeier is from Germany and has worked on optimising carbon fibre surface treatments.
He continued:
"The SPARK Deakin program has given JUC Surf the chance to purchase all the materials that we need to fast-track surfboard production and grow our company. The Australian surfboard industry account for almost a third of the global market, with 8.5 million surfboards in Australia alone. We're hoping to carve out a space for ourselves in this large potential market - and this venture isn't just limited to surfboards; the technology we're using could also be adapted for other sporting and marine applications."
The SPARK Deakin Accelerator program is open to all Deakin staff, students and alumni and is now in its fifth year. JUC Surf is one of five businesses selected as part of the 2020 program.
SPARK Accelerator 2020 startups:
Ms Maan said:
"We have been amazed at the quality of the ideas and follow-through from the entrepreneurs. Deakin established this program because we understood the importance of fostering innovation and nurturing the skills needed to create future jobs in an increasingly competitive world."
Each SPARK Deakin Accelerator startup receives up to $60,000 in value, including $10,000 equity-free funding, regular workshops, co-working space, legal advice, regular mentorships, and access to a network of corporate partners, advisors and experts, all part of a suite of support initiatives.
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