Solvay materials have been used to make what the company says is the world’s first e-bike made out of injection-molded composite materials.
Solvay’s long-fiber Xencor polyarylamide (PARA) LFT compounds were chosen by French bike manufacturer Stajvelo to make the Lifestyle Design Bike e-bike.
According to the company, the materials improve on the performance of Solvay’s Ixef PARA compounds, which can replace metal in medical devices, automotive exteriors, and small appliances. Xencor LFT compounds generally contain between 30 to 60% fiber reinforcement, depending on the polymer and grade, and the fiber can create an entangled 3D fiber skeleton within the final molded part, Solvay says. The strong fiber skeleton reportedly provides improved structural properties and dimensional stability when compared to traditional highly-filled, short-fiber reinforced polymers. The compounds also have improved strength, crash/impact performance, thermal stability, and surface aesthetics, along with low creep and smoother processing characteristics.
‘Stajvelo’s e-bike design embodies the hard-to-achieve balance between form and function, due in part to Xencor PARA’s unique combination of properties,’ said Thierry Manni, founder and CEO of Stajvelo. ‘Thanks to Solvay’s polymer expertise and processing technology support, we were able to design a manufacturing process with optimal function integration and time-saving assembly operations.’
This story uses material from Solvay, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
