New grade carbon fiber from Toho Tenax for aircraft and automotive
14 July 2015
Toho Tenax Co., Ltd., the core company of the Teijin Group’s carbon fibers and composites business, has developed a new grade carbon fiber— TENAX XMS32—that achieves both high-intensity and high-tensile modulus required for aircraft and automotive applications.
Toho Tenax developed its new grade carbon fiber with a uniform structure by optimizing the structural design of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based precursor and by optimizing its manufacturing process. Compared to TENAX IMS65, the existing grade carbon fiber that has been mainly used for aircraft applications, TENAX XMS32 offers 10% more intensity and 10% greater tensile modulus.
In addition, resin adherence has been significantly improved through new surface-modification technology to refine the chemical characteristics of the carbon fiber’s surface and control its smoothness on the nano level.
Carbon fiber used in aircraft, automotive, high-end sports and leisure applications must offer very high levels of stiffness, as well as improved intensity and tensile modulus. The trend toward the thin-walling of products causes problems with stiffness and tensile modulus properties. It had generally been difficult to realize both intensity and tensile modulus in PAN carbon fiber due to decreased intensity resulting from increased tensile modulus.
Toho Tenax is developing prepreg using TENAX XMS32 for airplanes and expects to develop prepregs for automotive and high-end sports and leisure applications in the foreseeable future.
Mass produced improved FCs will move in EV production soon due to improved quality (over steel and aluminum) and greatly reduced weight.
Pre-colored + pre-finished could avoid painting + rust proofing for further weight reduction and $$ savings.
Posted by: HarveyD | 14 July 2015 at 01:53 PM