Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. (Tokyo, Japan) has added the Xlink Tech-HT (#375) and Xlink Tech-HS (#372) series to its Xlink Tech carbon fiber prepreg portfolio. The company has commenced sample work for these new products.
As damage to carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) often originates not within the carbon fiber itself, but in the resin, or at the interface between the resin and the fibers, Mitsubishi Chemical believes that the resin applied in CFRP needs to not only retain high strength and heat resistance, but also optimal impact resistance. In particular, high modulus carbon fibers are susceptible to impact damage despite their high stiffness, and achieving both stiffness and durability has long been a challenge.
To address this, the company has leveraged its resin design technology to successfully developed the Xlink Tech-HT (#375) and Xlink Tech-HS (#372) prepreg series, which “significantly improve the impact resistance and damage tolerance of CFRP made with high modulus carbon fiber.” The prepregs’ high stiffness and durability are expected to provide greater design flexibility and enhanced performance across diverse sectors for sports and leisure, mobility and other relevant industries.
A sheet-type intermediate prepreg for CFRP. Source (All Images) | Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.
Improved impact resistance with Xlink Tech-HT (#375) (left) and improved impact resistance with Xlink Tech-HT (#375) (right).
