BÜFA Thermoplastic Composites has partnered with BPREG to supply the latter’s range of unidirectional prepregs and woven fabrics made with natural fiber.
The semi-finished thermoplastic tapes and fabrics are made of a polypropylene polymer matrix reinforced by flax fibers, the companies say.
According to BÜFA, the materials can meet current growing demand for natural fibers and other sustainable materials.
"BPREG Composites' prepregs […] combine the advantages of recyclability and moldability of thermoplastics with carbon neutral bio-based reinforcement,’ said Dirk Punke, managing director of BÜFA Thermoplastic Composites. ‘The potential waste savings in production occurring reduce the pollution on the environment. There are also solutions with biodegradable thermoplastics for applications that should go beyond recyclability.’
The UD prepregs, tapes and fabrics can be processed by tape laying, thermoforming, vacuum forming, press forming and injection molding (back injection as well as over molding) to make interior design for wall panels, cabins, furniture, or for aircraft interiors by the application of specific fiber orientations and ply thicknesses, the company said.
The thermoplastic semi-finished products consisting of flax are also suitable to make thin lightweight noise barriers.
This story uses material from BÜFA , with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
