composites | Fibre reinforcements
Right: Milled short glass fibres from Lanxess provide a
narrow length distribution and uniform diameter
Belgium, envisages them being used in place of glass for applications such as automotive parts where their extra high strength can be used to produce lighter parts. In some applications, they could also provide an alternative to carbon fibres. The company says that good mechanical properties, the easy wetting of the filament surface and recyclabil- ity make basalt fibres particularly suitable for compos- ites. The fibres also show good resistance to UV, heat and abrasion and offer low water absorption and inherent fire resistance. Jeroen Debruyne, project manager at Basaltex, says
ites are high-performance continuous fibre-reinforced types that use low-tow aerospace-grade fibres (3-12 k) that are relatively costly, says Andreas Erber, head of SGL’s thermoplastic program. He says by using larger industrial-grade carbon fibres, with a 50-k tow, both the fibre and the manufacturing processes for the thermoplastic component can be optimised in terms of total material costs. “Consequently such material systems can be the enabler for high-volume applica- tions in, for example, the automotive and consumer goods industries.” SGL Group currently estimates that global annual
demand for carbon fibres will amount to around 100,000 tonnes/year by 2020, with the industrial segment having a share of 75%. It should be pointed out, however, that a large part of this demand will still be in continuous fibre tape and textile-reinforced composites.
Alternative reinforcements An alternative to traditional reinforcements is offered with new types of synthetic reinforcing fibres such as Milliken’s Hyperform HPR-803i. Once again a key market is automotive. Milliken says the grade allows designers to create parts that are up to 15% lighter than currently-used reinforcement/filler systems without compromising performance. Hyperform HPR-803i is added at a lower addition rate than mineral fillers to polypropylene compounds, so the compounds have a lower density. Hyperform HPR-803i compounds are said to be
suitable for injection moulding operations originally designed for talc-filled compounds, simplifying testing requirements and reducing implementation costs. Milliken cites processors switching from compounds containing 20% talc to compounds with 10% talc and 7% HPR as a cost-effective route to product improvement. Fibres made from basalt – a rock that forms when
lava cools very quickly – are increasingly being consid- ered as a further possible solution in thermoplastic compounds. Basaltex, a supplier of basalt fibres in
30 INJECTION WORLD | January/February 2015
the company began offering chopped basalt fibres compatible with polypropylene earlier this year, and already has one major compounding customer. It is currently testing sizings compatible with polyamides. Fibres have a diameter of 13 microns. Basalt is a mafic rock, meaning that it contains magnesium and iron. Mafic is also the name of a 2012 start-up company with basalt fibre production in Kells, Ireland (it also produces LFTs in Woodbridge, Canada). It has six small ovens there, an arrangement that provides it with flexibility to produce grades for specific requirements, says Jeff Thompson, a marketing specialist at the company. Thompson says Mafic puts a strong emphasis on
quality control to set it apart from established produc- ers in eastern Europe and Asia, where currently the bulk of basalt fibre comes from. Mafic is aiming its products at numerous markets, including thermoplastic compounds. Thompson says the company has in-house capability to produce sizings, and will work with customers to produce grades according to requirements. Compounders producing compounds reinforced with basalt fibres include Lehmann & Voss. Thomas Collet, responsible for product management and marketing in the company’s Luvocom business unit, says that it has been using basalt fibres for some time, often in combination with other fibres that enhance tribological properties for example.
Click on the links for more information: ❙
www.basaltex.com ❙
www.jm.com (Johns Manville) ❙
www.jushi.com.eg ❙
www.lanxess.com ❙
www.lehvoss.de ❙
www.maficbasalt.com ❙
www.millikenchemical.com ❙
www.owenscorning.com ❙
www.sglgroup.com ❙
www.3B-fibreglass.com
www.injectionworld.com
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