Reinforced thermoplastics tested in Arctic conditions

摘要

An expedition sled for Mission Icefox, a journey to the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen by extreme athletes, has been fabricated using unidirectional continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastics (CFTP) from Ticona of Florence, Kentucky, USA. Ticona's unidirectional Celstran CFTP tapes form the shell of the sled, or pulka, which is resilient to Arctic conditions and light. The company's GUR ultra-high molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is used in the runners of the pulka. Ticona says that the material is shatterproof and scratch-resistant, while maintaining excellent glide characteristics.