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October 2012

Lead Feature

Company News

Materials News

Machinery News

Injection Moulding


Rubber Journal Asia

E-Magazine for the Rubber Industry
Top Glove expanding its capacity to achieve goal of 30% global share by 2015

MALAYSIA-based Top Glove, a leading maker and supplier of rubber gloves is expanding its capacity through creating a total of 22 glove factories across the country to achieve its goal of partaking 30% of the global market share.

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Electronic Issue

September-October 2012 Issue Still Available!
ON THE COVER:

Auxiliary and automation equipment company Azo is enjoying a healthy growth of its Mixomat mixer in Asia

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MATERIALS NEWS

Cost-effective composite for TRIM process
Basf

GERMAN firm BASF and the SGL Group will jointly develop a composite material based on a reactive polyamide system and suitable carbon fibres, for the production of thermoplastic carbon fibre-reinforced composites, for use in the T-RTM process (Thermoplastic Resin Transfer Moulding) as well as the reactive injection moulding process.

Besides being cost effective, the material permits considerably shorter processing cycles than conventional thermosetting RTM. The adjustment of the material sys-em to these faster processing techniques plays a major role for the entry of light and high-strength structural components made of carbon fibre composites into automotive mass production.

As a leading producer of polyamide and caprolactam, a precursor of polyamide, BASF is contributing its competence in the development of new polymer matrix systems. The SGL Group is utilising its material expertise along the carbon fibre value-added chain and in high-temperature processes. To achieve good wetting of the fibre and short cycle times in T-RTM or reactive injection moulding, the firms start from low-viscosity highly reactive caprolactam formulations. In order to attain an optimal bonding of the polyamide to the fibre, the new matrix systems require that a suitable carbon fiber surface treatment, the so-called finish, will be developed.

Thermoplastic carbon fibre-reinforced composites combine the properties of carbon fibres such as high stiffness at low weight with the typical processing advantages of thermoplastics. They can be formed, recycled and welded. In this way they encourage further development of carbon fibre technology toward the goal of suitability for mass production. (PRA)