LANXESS has added a new product to its Tepex series of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites. The company is committed to using more bio-based and renewable raw materials to save resources and ensure that its own production process no longer relies on fossil resources. At present, the company has successfully developed a composite material that is entirely bio-based.
Related personnel explained: “We combined the fabric made of natural flax fiber with the bio-based polylactic acid as the matrix material to develop a composite material made entirely from natural resources. We are now able to make it suitable for large The quality level of mass production."
The new biocomposite material is not only made entirely of renewable materials, but also can be completely recycled as part of the closed-loop material cycle.
Relevant personnel said: "The leftovers and production waste can be reground and can be easily used for injection molding or extrusion. They can be used alone or mixed with new composite materials that are not reinforced or short fiber reinforced."
The density of flax fiber is much lower than that of glass fiber. Therefore, the weight of the new flax fiber reinforced composite material is much lighter than that of the glass fiber reinforced composite material.
After being processed into continuous fiber reinforced fabrics, the biocomposite exhibits the typical mechanical properties of all Tepex products, mainly continuous fibers arranged in a specific direction.
The specific stiffness of the biocomposite is comparable to the specific stiffness of the equivalent glass fiber reinforced material variant. The composite material component is designed to adapt to the expected load, and most of the force can be transmitted through the continuous fiber, so as to achieve the high strength and stiffness characteristics of the fiber-reinforced material.
The combination of flax and transparent polylactic acid produces a surface with the appearance of brown natural carbon fiber, which helps to emphasize the sustainable development of the material and create more visual appeal. In addition to sports equipment, this biocomposite material is also suitable for manufacturing automotive interior parts, or electronics and housing components.