composites | Materials
the reinforcements have arrived
Lilli Shermanreviews the latest developments in reinforcing fibres for thermoplastics, including new glass, carbon and aramid innovations
Main image:
Johns Manville’s ThermoFlow 636 chopped strands
reinforce the
Borealis Xmod PP in this
automotive pedal carrier
developments in reinforcing fibres for thermoplastics are focusing on improving cost, performance and processing, with the automotive and electrical and electronics (e&e) markets leading the way. new and improved products range from chopped and long glass fibres through to novel aramids and increasingly cost- competitive carbon products. PA6 and PA6,6 remain the stronghold for glass-fibre
reinforcement, particularly within the automotive sector, but some important shifts are reshaping the reinforced fibre thermoplastics arena. these include continuing gains made by reinforced PP in the automo- tive industry, and strong growth in the e&e sector of
26 injection world | january/February 2012
other fibre-reinforced resins such as Pc, PBt, Pet, PeeK, PPo and lcP. Household appliances, medical devices, and other transport-related applications also represent key potential markets, as does the fledgling bioplastics sector. eric Martin, business development manager for thermoplastics at 3B Fibreglass, says: “recent advances have been taking place in all kinds of fibre/ filler reinforcements – glass, carbon, aramid, natural fibres – designed to give thermoplastic compounds improved performance and processing characteristics along with increased cost competitiveness.” Martin says alliances between oeMs and carbon
fibre suppliers are interesting for the entire composites industry and will reinforce the technological importance of reinforced thermoplastics as lightweight alternatives to traditional materials such as steel and aluminium. At the same time, he believes it is already clear that, for mass production and cost advantages, glass fibre will play an important role in emerging applications. the automotive and e&e sectors are the leaders in
pursuing the shift to reinforced thermoplastics for greater durability, heat resistance and reduced system
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