Enhancing thermoplastic and non-woven carbon processing through lab trials with Yuho

Yuho Corporation, part of the Toyobo group, teamed up with us to conduct laboratory testing on carbon fiber non-woven fabric.

This collaboration aimed at optimizing the material and molding conditions, creating promotional samples, and exploring the potential for mass production.

Testing would involve using three types of non-woven fabrics — PP, PA, and PPS matrix — which would then be molded using thermo-compression technology. By doing so, the team can evaluate the most relevant characteristics for each of the materials along with their behavior during the molding process.

One key feature of these nonwoven fabrics is that they utilize long carbon fibers, which offer excellent mechanical properties.

When the non-woven fabrics were combined with various polymers during the trials and passed through the thermo-compression process, it became possible to achieve the desired combination of properties. The result was Hayate.

This material makes use of recycled carbon fibers to create a hybrid, offering a more eco-friendly solution. It boasts excellent formability, allowing it to easily be molded into various shapes and sizes.

What applications could these products have? Their market potential is promising. Initially designed for sports gear and small automotive parts, these materials may come to be used in a wider range of industries including transportation and construction, while further expanding in automotive.

The collaboration between us underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality composite solutions that meet our customers’ diverse needs. R&D activities are focused on creating innovative products and providing sustainable, eco-friendly solutions that can help reduce each industry’s carbon footprint.

• Laboratory trials