Composite
Top technologies for the processing of high-performance fibers
The textile machinery branch of Germany’s VDMA, the Frankfurt-headquartered mechanical engineering industry association, held a series of webinars showcasing the technologies of some 30 of its members between June and December 2020. Understandably, many of them concerned the sudden demand for facemasks and PPE last year – in which meltblown polypropylene microfibers proved such a …
Web-based composites – a new class of materials with high potential for recycled carbon fibers
Web-based composites are nonwoven-based composite materials that meet the demand for sustainability and light weight. This new class of materials offers the possibility of processing recycled composite waste and thus introducing them into a closed-loop economy. As a result, there is a need for new thermoplastic fibers with adapted property profiles. Growth in lightweight construction …
Student Spotlight: Performance of carbon fiber nonwoven composites in crash tests
Sai Aditya Pradeep is pursuing a Ph.D. in Automotive Engineering in the Materials and Manufacturing Specialization at Clemson University where he is conducting research on the scalable production of thermoplastic nano-cellular foams via supercritical fluid assisted injection molding. Another important area of Pradeep’s research is the characterization of recycled nonwoven carbon fiber composites and development …
High performance fibers for composite reinforcement
According to a report by Textile Media Services, the value of the global composites market was around $96 billion in 2019, and while components reinforced with carbon fibers generally gain all the attention through their association with Formula One motor racing and the aerospace industry, glass fibers account for well over 90% of the market …
Automotive textile producers prepare for total transformation
With the global automotive industry facing unprecedented change over the next few decades, suppliers of automotive textiles, including nonwovens and composites, are being challenged to realign their strategies as these major market transformations unfold. As well as advances in electrification, one of the key drivers is the effort to commercialize self-driving vehicles – it is …