The future of thermoplastics
Thermoplastics are changing the composites market due to their reusability and sustainability. Marketsandmarkets reports project the thermoplastic composites market to reach $36 billion by 2024. Kim Sjödahl, Senior Vice President of R&D and Technology at global composites manufacturer Exel Composites, comments on the rise of thermoplastics.
There are two main types of resins used in composite production: thermosets and thermoplastics. Thermosets are the most common, but as the use of composites increases, research into thermoplastic resins is gaining momentum.
Thermoset resins are hardened by curing using heat to form highly crosslinked polymers with rigid, insoluble or infusible bonds that do not melt upon exposure to heat. On the other hand, thermoplastics are branches or chains of monomers that soften with heat and solidify upon cooling, a reversible process without chemical bonding. That is, a thermoplastic can be remelted and reshaped, unlike a thermoset.
Why Thermosets Are Successful
Thermosetting resins, such as epoxies or polyesters, are widely used in composite production because their low viscosity helps achieve good penetration into the fiber network. This allows for the use of more fibers and increases the strength of the final composite material.
The thermosetting resin process begins with the pultrusion process, with the fibers being immersed in resin and then transferred to a mold where heat is applied. This begins the curing reaction that converts the low-molecular-weight liquid resin into a solid, three-dimensional network structure, attaching the fibers to this newly formed network.
Since most curing reactions are exothermic, once the reaction has begun, it will propagate rapidly, making thermoset production easily scalable. Once established, the three-dimensional structure anchors the fibers and gives the composite its strength and stiffness.
The Rise of Thermoplastics
Thermoplastics and thermoplastic composites have been used for some time, particularly in short-fiber applications. Thermoplastics are now receiving increased attention due to the increased need for lightweighting without losing structural stability, particularly in the automotive industry.
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