POLYURETHANE MATRIX RESIN TECHNOLOGY: HIGHLY DURABLE COMPOSITES VIA COST-EFFICIENT RESIN TRANSFER MOLDING (RTM) PROCESSES.

摘要

Driven by fuel efficiency targets the automotive industry increasingly considers fiber-reinforced plastics as lightweight material option in modern multi-material car concepts. In future, broader usage of composites will be enabled by cost-efficient manufacturing processes and by matrix resin chemistries that lead to highly durable and reliable materials. Henkel has developed a novel polyurethane matrix resin that is compatible with carbon and glass fibers. Its reactivity profile is designed for fast automotive RTM processes. The presentation outlines key processing and performance characteristics of the new matrix resin. Due to its inherent fracture toughness properties the polyurethane technology can offer superior fatigue resistance and damage tolerance compared to standard resin systems.