TECHNOLOGY | REINFORCEMENTS
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New sizing technologies from companies such as
Michelman are improving the performance of carbon fibre-based thermoplastic composites
is designed for use in performance polyamide compounds where greater thermal stability is required and is solvent and VOC-free. Typical applications include automotive coolant system pumps. Hydrosize Carbon 300 Series grades are formulated for PC and PC blends, such as PC-ABS, where it offers good chemical resistance. Hydrosize Carbon 400 Series products are high-performance grades able to withstand the processing temperatures required for PEEK, PPS and PEI. This sizing range is said to result in compounds that exhibit good thermal stability, mechanical properties and low creep and is especially well suited to chopped carbon fibre applications.
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Sutainable innovation Some of the factors driving interest in carbon and other high performance fibre reinforced compounds include the availability of recycled fibre grades and introduction of more easily handled formats. Recycled fibres can reduce compound cost and allow end-users to move towards meeting sustainability goals while easy-to- handle dust-free formats make life easier for compounders. Next month Procotex Corp subsidiary Apply
Carbon will start up a new line at its plant at Languidic in France to produce its granular recovered carbon and para-aramid fibres. The investment will increase capacity at the plant by 300% and will ensure supply flexibility and security, according to the company. “We see increasing demand for our technical fibre granulates in various application areas including automotive, consumer and industrial. Most of our customers look to increase electrical conductivity, reinforcing capacity, lightweight materials, higher friction capacity and higher wear resistance,”
Above: Procotex subsidiary Apply Carbon has expanded capacity for production of its granular recycled carbon fibres
says Director of Sales Bruno Douchy. “The major factor limiting the growth of the conductive compound market is the high cost of production, including high raw material costs and the manufacturing processes. That is why we developed a sustainable carbon fibre solution,” says Douchy. “We can offer a wide range of carbon fibres with virtually the same quality characteristics as virgin grades but at prices 30-50% cheaper.” Apply Carbon’s production technology allows milled carbon fibres to be supplied in a dust-free granular format that is easy to dose and disperse. “While these carbon fibres have a length of 300 microns, we are also working on granulates with longer fibres of up to 1 mm. This will further
44 COMPOUNDING WORLD | November 2019
improve conductivity levels and the reinforcing capacity of the compounds,” Douchy says. Para-aramid fibre granulates, which are also
recovered, can produce wear and temperature resistant compounds with very good mechanical properties. According to Procotex, the granular form makes compounding easier than using traditional para-aramid products, with Douchy claiming ouput rate gains of up to 10%, while many also report improved surface finish. Procotex is also developing granular versions of other alternative fine and fibrillated fibre reinforcements that present dosing difficulties. “In the next months, we will introduce also jute and flax granules to promote the increased demand for natural fibre reinforced compounds” he says. Another manufacturer of recycled carbon fibre is
ELG Carbon Fibre. It has been working with INEOS Team UK in its America’s Cup 2021 build programme and has processed 1,000kg of carbon manufacturing waste and end-of-use parts for the UK challengers. ELG takes fibre offcuts from the composite manufacturing process and converts them to milled and chopped products to make thermoset and thermoplastic compounds and non-woven mats. Some of the reprocessed material has been used to manufacture composite parts for the AC75 boat that will compete in Auckland, New Zealand in 2021. These include two cradles to support the AC75 during transit as well as the hull and deck moulds. The company says that the material has
numerous advantages in addition to being lightweight. The battery enclosure’s stiffness is comparable to that of an aluminium construction but uses much less material, and with a thermo- conductivity that is around 200 times less than that
www.compoundingworld.com
PHOTO: MICHELMAN
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