Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for optimisation of the sustainability footprint of a polymer formulation, wherein the method involves: a. identifying one or more material specifications which are to be present in the polymer formulation; b. identifying one of more sustainability criteria to be optimised in the polymer formulation; c. providing a repository of materials that may be selected for use in the polymer formulation; d. providing a computer-implemented algorithm for calculating the contribution of each of the materials selected from the repository to achieving the desired material specifications of the polymer formulation; e. providing a computer-implemented algorithm for calculating the contribution of each of the materials selected from the repository to optimising the desired sustainability criteria of the polymer formulation; and f.

Abstract: The method for producing a unidirectional carbon fiber tape, the method comprising: passing a first portion of a strand of fiber through an oven to carbonize the first portion, thereby converting carbon fiber precursor fiber of the first portion to carbon fiber, wherein the first portion comprises carbon fiber precursor fiber; and impregnating the carbon fiber of the first portion with thermoplastic matrix material to form impregnated fiber, while a second portion of the strand of fiber that is upstream of the first portion is passing through the oven to convert carbon fiber precursor fiber of the second portion to additional carbon fiber.