Introduction
With the rapid development of various new materials, thermoplastic composites are getting more and more concerned due to the growing demand in lightweight material industries. CFRT and fabrics are typical choices. Sometimes you may get confused with what to choose. Of course, they have something in common, but still, a significant difference in specific use.
Specification
In thermoplastic composites, there are some values most concerned for certain applications. Especially in railway, aerospace, airline, and automobile, we pay close attention to flexural and tensile strength/modulus, as well as impact resistance.
In a short word, CFRT (continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic) composites are good at flexural and tensile strength/modulus, while fabrics at impact resistance.
| TEST ITEMS | CFRT UD TAPES | FABRIC TAPES |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile Strength | Higher | Lower |
| Tensile Modulus | Higher | Lower |
| Flexural Strength | Higher | Lower |
| Flexural Modulus | Higher | Lower |
| Impact Strength | Lower | Higher |
| Shearing Strength | Lower | Higher |
| Weight | Lighter | Heavier |
Index
Tensile modulus/sectional area:
The higher the consequence value is, the stronger the material will be. (The strength of nanomaterial mainly comes from its small sectional area.)
Length/Diameter:
Similar to the previous value, it also shows the strength of the current material we use.
For the above index, CFRT shows excellent performance in flexural and tensile strength.
Weight:
CFRT (continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic) composites are usually lighter than fabric ones.
Thickness:
Thicker materials hold higher elasticity but lower efficiency of impact resistance.
Thinner composites hold higher impact resistance but lower intensity.
Thickness and weight also depend on the layers and lamination method of CFRT and fabric composites.
CFRT Panels, Laminates, and Tapes
We mainly produce sandwich panels, composite laminates, and CFRT UD tapes.
We have honeycomb panels for RV and truck bodies, foam panels for reefer trailers and container boxes, and anti-skid panels for scaffolding boards.
Composite laminates and UD tapes can be seen as middle products of panels because sometimes they work as panel skin. Thermal plastic sheets can be laminated in various directions to improve their strength. Thick laminates can be also used as side skirts and other dynamic parts of trucks.
The material of laminates is usually CFRT tapes. The thickness of T-UD series CFRT tapes is from 0.16mm to 0.44mm; sandwich panel skin is from 8mm to 50mm (2-9 layers); Width is up to 3.2m of either fabric or CFRT materials.
Application
CFRT composites and fabrics can be used to produce UD tapes, thermoplastic composite sheets, and honeycomb sandwich panels. These products are widely introduced in advanced industries that ask for lightweight materials with high strength. Whether railway or airway, transportation or construction, lightweight solutions are always in need of continuous development.