Attwater finds new use for peel ply

Attwater finds new use for peel ply

APPLICATIONS Carbon fibre composite benefits ski boots Attwater finds new use for peel ply Italian company Xenia has provided Austrian ski boot man...

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APPLICATIONS

Carbon fibre composite benefits ski boots

Attwater finds new use for peel ply

Italian company Xenia has provided Austrian ski boot manufacturer Atomic with a new material capable of improving the performance of its boots. The backspin of the Redster WC Ski Boot, is made with a blend containing Xecarb 6 C30, a carbon based thermoplastic matrix composite created by Xenia in its plant in Vicenza.

Industrial laminate specialist Attwater has found a new use for peel ply to facilitate easier bonding with phenolic cotton laminates. The new development extends an existing product category of peel ply on epoxy glass to include phenolic-based laminates – a development that required a rethink of the types of materials used for the peel ply.

Atomic invited Xenia to collaborate in the production of its new Race Boot with the development of a stiffer backspine compared to the previous generation, making the product considerably more direct, stabile and responsive while reducing the weight. Xenia’s laboratory produced a composite formed by a thermoplastic polyurethane and a special carbon fibre of aeronautical derivation.

The tests carried out by Atomic on the product have highlighted a rigidity six times superior to that of the previous one, with considerable improvement in ski control and speed. Xecarb 6 C30 has a high shock resistance and wear and tear resistance even at very low temperatures (-30°C). Xenia says that the composite material maintains a good balance between rigidity and elastic properties. Compared to other thermosetting materials, Xecarb 6 C30 requires a less complicated transformation process which is consequently also less expensive and produces a reduced environmental impact. Xenia; www.xeniamaterials. com

The aim is to create a product with a top layer which can be easily peeled off to reveal a rough surface. This surface makes for better bonding than an as-pressed (usually glossy) surface, because the rough surface is easier to key to. The benefit of using a peel ply layer is that the ‘rough’ surface can be created just when customers need it, reducing the risk of

surface contamination prior to applying the adhesive and removing the need for an additional machining process. As opposed to a machined rough surface, there is no dust produced, there is less wastage involved as there is no need to add more material and the process is more efficient. So not only is it more economical and technically advantageous, it is also better for the environment. Attwater has already seen increased demand for its range of peel ply epoxy glass laminates. These have gained much acceptance particularly with boat builders, who are so confident in the strong bond created they are now gluing some fixings in place rather than machining them in. Attwater; www.attwater.com

Fibre-reinforced composites used for cost effective aerospace window frames The Faserinstitut Bremen e.V. (FIBRE) has developed a costeffective and efficient process to manufacture lightweight aerospace components that use a continuous fibre-reinforced structural inlay based on Fortron® polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) from Celanese Corporation. In a pilot project, FIBRE worked with AIRBUS Operations GmbH, KARL MAYER MALIMO Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH, KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH, Ferdinand Stükerjürgen GmbH and TU Chemnitz to produce aircraft window frames successfully using a thermoform and injection moulding process. Shorter cycle times were possible,

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REINFORCEDplastics

resulting in an increase in productivity. Structural components for aircraft made from fibre polymer composites frequently comprise duroplastics shaped in prepreg and resin transfer moulding (RTM) processes. Celanese adds that the greatest disadvantage of this process is the extensive drying times required for the matrix to cure,. “From a production point of view there is actually a great deal in favour of thermoplastic materials like Fortron PPS, which are often more economical,” said Peter Radden, Fortron PPS specialist. “Fortron PPS is more dimension-

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ally stable, chemical and temperature resistant, and has a long tradition in aircraft construction where it is often the material of choice in structural components.” FIBRE uses prepregs that contain additional inlaid thermoplastic fibres, as well as carbon fibres, to lend structure to the window frames. These prepregs are processed to form structural inlay preforms - versions made from multi-axial fibre inlays (MAG) are used to shorten cycle times. FIBRE also produced Tailored Fiber Placement Preforms (TFP) parallel for precise fibre alignment. The matrix of knit and weft fibres is formed in the subsequent consolidation in a variotherm

press. In this process, the Fortron PPS fibres in the prepreg ensure homogenous matrix distribution. After consolidation, the structure inlays are sprayed with short fibre-reinforced Fortron PPS to add integral stiffening or functional elements which would be much more difficult to implement with continuous fibre-reinforced materials. The combination of thermoforming and injection moulding makes the process more costeffective and allows for higher production volumes in a shorter time. Celanese Corporation; www.celanese.com

www.reinforcedplastics.com