Materials | composites
include general industrial, building and consumer goods, such as wall plugs, cable cleats, wheels, cranks, bicycle pedals and headphones. The third new glass fibre form is aimed at LFT nylon
composites. Advantex SE4535 is a direct single-end 17 µm roving designed to provide lightweight solutions for large semi-structural components or high-loading parts in automotive, domestic appliances and power tool applications. The product’s proprietary sizing chemistry is claimed to provide excellent wet-out, plus optimum resin-fibre load transfer and adhesion for exceptional mechanical performance. 3B also highlights the new grade’s good impregnation and high-speed processing performance. It is said to be suitable for both LFT-D and LFT-G processing. Johns Manville has also been busy with new grade
developments. Its ThermoFlow 672 is a chopped glass for reinforced polyamide compounds aimed at critical applications in the automotive, E&E and consumer goods markets, which are increasingly demanding more durability. The company says the fibre delivers higher impact and tensile strength properties while retaining the high throughput capabilities of existing ThermoFlow chopped strand products for PP reinforcement. The company’s ThermoFlow 636 chopped strands
are designed for high-performance PP applications, such as automotive inlet manifolds and pedal carriers. Meanwhile, Johns Manville is also meeting the de- mands of the long-fibre market with its StarRov 490 LFT roving for PP. It says its sizing chemistry reduces the odour levels of PP-based LFT compounds, without affecting impact or strength properties. It is aimed at PP LFTs for critical interior components. Camelyaf, which is a subsidiary of Turkey’s Sisecam
Group, recently launched PP-Plus, a new grade of chopped glass strand for reinforcing PP. Camelyaf claims the fibre can provide about 20% higher mechani- cal properties compared to current standard glass fibre reinforced PP. It can also be used to reinforce other thermoplastics such as PE and PC. Target applications
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include automotive body panels, bumpers, dashboard carriers, consoles and engine covers. On the compounding side, RTP Company has been
using glass fibres in reinforced bioplastics. Its new glass fibre-reinforced PLA compounds are designed to overcome some of the limitations associated with unmodified PLA, primarily by delivering greater stiffness and thermal performance. They have glass fibre loadings from 10% to 40% and are fully colourable. The com- pounds are targeted at durable and semi-durable applications in markets such as the automotive, appli- ance, consumer goods, E&E and construction sectors. RTP’s 30% glass-filled PLA grade boasts a tensile
strength of 16,500 psi (114 MPa), flexural modulus of 1,630,000 psi (11,200 MPa), and heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 320o
F at 66 psi (160o F (93o C at 455 kPa).
Compared to unmodified PLA, it has twice the tensile strength and its HDT is higher by nearly 200o
C). It
also surpasses tensile strength, flexural modulus and HDT of 30% glass-filled PP.
Carbon makes the cut Long carbon fibres are well established in high-end plastics composites, particularly in demanding applications within the aerospace, defence and energy industries. Chopped carbon fibres appear to be gaining in interest for various reasons, including lower cost and improved performance of newer products. RTP’s business manager for structural products, Eric Lee says: “We have both chopped and long carbon fibre compounds in our portfolio so we can be pretty objective”. He adds that the company’s chopped carbon fibre compounds based on engineering plastics, which range from polyamides to PEEK, provide nearly all of the benefits associated with long carbon fibre com- pounds in high-temperature applications. The latter may typically provide an improvement in impact properties, but Lee says that chopped carbon fibre compounds can offer a better balance of flexural modulus, impact and strength properties.
January/February 2012 | InJECTIOn WORLD 29
Above: Target applications for 3B’s new DS1120-13P reinforcement for polyamide include wall plugs and bicycle pedals
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