Researcher seeks industry participants for study on repurposing end-of-life vehicle steel. A Coventry University researcher is seeking industry participants for a study into whether steel from scrapped vehicles can be repurposed into new products rather than melted down. The project examines if body panels can become road signs, agricultural tools and industrial components.
Ebilayefa Gbakena, a doctoral student at Coventry University's Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, is leading the research. The study involves material testing and microstructural analysis to assess whether high-quality strip steels from vehicle body panels can maintain their mechanical properties after repurposing. With around 1.8 million vehicles reaching end of life in the UK each year, the scrap steel is traditionally shredded and melted in an energy-intensive process.
Gbakena said the research is at an experimental stage and is intended to augment traditional recycling, not replace it. “We need to show that this repurposed steel really is a low-carbon alternative to recycling,” he said. Those interested in taking part can find details on the Coventry University website.
