COMPOUNDS | LFTs
Above: Avient now offers its Complēt LFT compounds in recycled content versions supported with Product Carbon Footprint data
flame-retardant package for an injection moulded battery cell holder that was a finalist in the 2023 SPE Automotive Awards. The company has also demon- strated that its flame retardant Stamax LGF-PP can be used in larger battery enclosures. The material, which has been verified by UL Solutions for flame delay performance, was used to injection mould a 2.2m long battery top cover prototype.
Metal replacement In addition to substitution of thermoset compos- ites, LFTs are also replacing metals in structural applications across a variety of industries, such as power sports, aerospace, automotive, and automo- tive aftermarket, according to Eric Wollan, General Manager of PlastiComp at Avient. He says key benefits driving the replacement of metal with LFTs include weight reduction, part consolidation and design freedom, and the time and cost-savings of using injection moulding, which eliminates second- ary operations (including metal powder coating)
and reduces the number of assembly steps. To simplify metal replacement projects, Avient launched an improved computer-aided engineer- ing (CAE) tool in 2023 to more precisely predict the behaviour of fibre-reinforced polymer materials in structural applications, helping to reduce design iterations and accelerate speed to market. “Many automotive customers are actively discussing their desire to reduce carbon emis- sions,” says Wollan. “Customers often realise an immediate sustainability benefit when switching to LFT, finding that this material helps support objectives around lightweighting and reduced carbon emissions [via increased fuel economy].” LFT materials incorporating recycled resin have also been developed to further support sustainabil- ity efforts. Avient’s Complēt REC Recycled Content LFTs include PA6, PA66, and TPU grades with post-consumer or post-industrial recycled content. “Possible uses for these injection-mouldable materials include lightweight adventure gear for outdoor recreation, sustainable office furniture for LEED-certified buildings, or next-generation vehicles that go further using less energy resourc- es,” says Wollan. Market adoption is still in the early stages, but
Avient expects more demand for recycled content LFTs in the future as recycle streams improve to have fewer contaminants and abrasive materials and as customers refine their sustainability goals to align with regulatory changes, says Wollan. The company is also looking at bio-based fibres and polymers for LFT applications, but says that currently there are limited bio-based fibre options that could be applied to LFT production methods.
Researchers focus on recycling solutions
The ThermoPlastic Composites Application Centre (TPAC) at the Saxion University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, along with partners TPRC, GKN Aerospace, Toray, NRT, Collins Aerspace and Cato Composites, has conducted a research project called TPC-Cycle that aims to recover thermoplastics composite materials. The centre says it has developed a
low-shear recycling process that can process thermoplastic composite waste, while preserving fibre length and thus retaining the highest possible material properties. It involves shred-
20 COMPOUNDING WORLD | March 2024
ding the composite waste and then mixing and remelting it in a low shear mixer. The mixed batch is then compression moulded into a part. In a trial, the group produced an
aviation access panel from a recycled carbon fibre–polyphenylsulphide (PPS) composite. TPAC reports that the panel is 9% lighter and reduces carbon footprint compared to a traditional carbon fibre composite alternative. Further industrialisation of the process is currently underway. Meanwhile, Japanese company
Asahi Kasei, together with academic partners at the National Institute of
Technology at Kitakyushu College and the Tokyo University of Science, has developed a method to extract carbon fibres from carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastics used in automobiles. It uses an electrolysed sulphuric acid solution process to decompose the polymer and recover the fibre in its original length, which helps maintain quality and strength. It says it is currently preparing to build a small plant for optimising the process and is aiming for practical applica- tions by 2030. �
www.thermoplasticcomposites.nl �
https://asahi-kasei.eu/
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: AVIENT
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