COMPOUNDS | LFTs
vehicles. Other automotive applications could include rails and support structures for sunroof systems or seating components. The automotive industry’s push for lightweight-
Above: Fibre properties are critical in the development of performance LFT materials, according to Johns Manville
To further support customers with their sustain- ability goals, in December last year, Avient intro- duced its third-party-certified Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Calculator to the market. This tool was developed to evaluate the carbon footprint of Avient’s specialised material solutions so custom- ers can use that information as a data point in product calculations, the company explains. Avient says it continues to see high demand globally for solutions such as its Complēt LFTs. Last year, it installed a new production line for its Complēt and OnForce LFT composites at its Asia regional headquarters in Shanghai, China.
High flow LCPs Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical has developed a line of LFT compounds in high-performance liquid crystal polymer (LCP) matrices reinforced with carbon fibre or fibreglass. The company says that the compounds, which were made available for initial testing in 2022, continue to be evaluated by potential users. “Given the ease of processing LCP materials, we felt we could take advantage of their low melt viscosity and low moulding pressures to better preserve fibre length during injection moulding,” said Tomohiro Sato, Sumitomo Senior Manager, in a statement at the time of the introduction. “It is important to note that these materials are being positioned against lightweight metallic alloys and even steel, where they offer comparable or higher mechanical performance at much lower weight, better energy management, elimination of corro- sion, reduced manufacturing and finishing steps, and very-fast processing times, which will help offset initial higher material costs.” The LFT-LCP compounds showed high energy absorption and controlled crush characteristics during crush tests, which suggests the materials could be useful in crash structures on passenger
22 COMPOUNDING WORLD | March 2024
ing, particularly in EVs and applications such as EV battery casings, is opening new avenues for growth in injection moulding LFT, as well as direct extru- sion (D-LFT), says Johns Manville Engineered Products (JM), which manufactures reinforcement glass fibre in the US and Europe including chopped strands and rovings suitable for LFT compounding and D-LFT in polymer matrices including PP and PAs. “JM’s StarRov 895 is a relatively new develop- ment designed to work seamlessly with PA matri- ces, providing exceptional bonding and mechani- cal properties,” says Peter Sivak, Fibreglass Product Manager at JM. “Additionally, our proprietary Neomera PA-6 organosheets can be used as local reinforcements, providing a perfect solution for achieving high mechanical properties while minimising weight.” The organosheets can be used in hybrid part production processes, such as organosheet thermoforming and LFT overmolding. JM says fibre properties that are critical for LFT
processes include consistent fibre impregnation, strong adhesion between the fibre and resin, and high thermal resistance (needed to maintain fibre integrity during processing and application). In addition, minimising the generation of loose fibres during processing and reducing volatile organic compound emissions is beneficial. In line with end user ambitions to improve
product carbon footprint, JM says that its use of state-of-the-art furnaces and techniques for fibre manufacturing has reduced its Scope 1 green- house gas emissions. It says it has a continued focus on enhancing productivity and sustainability. For example, at the company’s facility at Trnava in Slovakia almost all fibre production waste is recycled back into the glass furnaces, ensuring a certified minimum of 6% recycled glass content. The company says that offering larger 25kg bobbins (compared to the standard 20kg packag- ing) can also potentially reduce the environmental impact across the value chain by increasing overall production efficiency.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.lehvoss.de �
www.celanese.com �
www.sabic.com �
www.avient.com �
www.sumichem-at.com �
www.jm.com
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: JOHNS MANVILLE ENGINEERED PRODUCTS
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