Hexcel and Arkema say that they will open a joint research and development laboratory in Les Avenières, France.
This follows the companies’ formation of a strategic alliance to develop thermoplastic composite solutions for the aerospace sector, combining Hexcel’s carbon fiber and Arkema’s polyetherketoneketone (PEKK). The aim of the new lab is to develop carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic prepreg tapes to make more lightweight parts for aerospace with faster production cycle, the companies say.
The companies expect to start supplying carbon/thermoplastic UD tapes to customers for evaluation in Q3 2019.
This story uses material from Hexcel, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.