In general, agree with your explanation here, but would disagree on the repairability point. Lots of carbon repair shops will repair carbon parts. Often just needs paint sanded off and additional carbon bonded on. Generally doesn’t bend and deform like metal parts, so the cracked bit can just be cut out and reinforced.
On the other hand the aluminum alloys a lot of car parts and bikes are being made of end up quite difficult to weld and re-heat-treat in practice, so no easier than carbon.
In general, agree with your explanation here, but would disagree on the repairability point. Lots of carbon repair shops will repair carbon parts. Often just needs paint sanded off and additional carbon bonded on. Generally doesn’t bend and deform like metal parts, so the cracked bit can just be cut out and reinforced.
On the other hand the aluminum alloys a lot of car parts and bikes are being made of end up quite difficult to weld and re-heat-treat in practice, so no easier than carbon.
Aluminium is extremely easy and cheap to recycle, in comparison.
I know that carbon composite structures can be mended in a variety of ways, but like you say, it’s typically done my layering on more carbon.
Depending on the part, this may or may not result in something that can serve its purpose again.
Definitely agree on the recycling. Carbon fibre is a whole can of worms there.