Carbon emissions from air travel could be reduced thanks to a new collaboration involving engineers from the University of Bath and the aerospace industry.

The £1.4 million project which also involves researchers at the University of Bristol will investigate new ways of using composite materials for wing panels in aircraft.

The research, funded by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and aircraft manufacturers Airbus and GKN, will be using carbon fibres which are curved within flat plates.

This should produce structures which are less liable to buckle and more tolerant of damage.

Experts predict it could lead to savings of between 10 and 30 per cent on structural components, cutting fuel and reducing CO2 emissions from the aviation industry.

Dr Richard Butler, who is leading the University of Bath team, said: "This project could really make a difference in reducing the environmental impact of air travel.

"We will be pushing the boundaries of composites technology and believe we can help achieve thousands of tonnes in fuel saving over the life of an aircraft."

The Bath team will be investigating different designs for the structures of wing panels to test their damage tolerance.

Professor Paul Weaver, from the Department of Aerospace Engineering and the Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science (ACCIS), is leading the University of Bristol team, which will focus on the development and manufacturing of the new carbon fibre materials.

Both teams will be using mathematical modelling techniques to optimise and test their designs.

They say presence of GKN in the collaboration, as a supplier of major wing components, creates a strong link with the manufacturing industry.

Professor Weaver added: "This exciting programme will help ensure that the UK is at the forefront of aircraft structures technology."