High-performance composite tapes

Jiangsu Hansu New Material Co., Ltd. introduced at China Composites Expo 2020, its new family of high-performance, unidirectional (UD) composite tapes — H-poly-Stallone-CF7000_PEI — made with continuous carbon fiber and SABIC’s ULTEM™ 1000F3SP powder.

Jiangsu Hansu, a leading thermoplastic composites manufacturer based in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, worked with SABIC to develop the new UD tapes for potential use in high-performance aerospace applications such as seat frames and luggage compartments. As a possible replacement for metal, these UD tapes provide opportunities to reduce weight, improve fuel efficiency and support sustainability—key goals for the aircraft industry.

SABIC’s ULTEM™ powder, a special form of advanced polyetherimide (PEI), elevates the performance of tapes by supplying inherent flame retardance, long-term heat stability, outstanding strength and stiffness, and dimensional stability.

During the manufacturing process, Jiangsu Hansu combines continuous carbon fibers with ULTEM™ 1000F3SP powder, a product offering Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliance and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 217ºC. The easy dispersion of ULTEM™ 1000F3SP powder in water makes it possible to create a homogeneous slurry that is uniformly distributed among the carbon fibers. The resulting composite tape has highly consistent properties, which are critical for demanding aerospace applications.

SABIC also produces ULTEM™ resin in injection molding grades. Injection molded components can then be thermoformed with UD composite tape and over-molded with functional elements—all with the same polymer. The advantages of this approach include the potential for recyclability and a high level of design flexibility.

Polyetherimide is one of the highest-performing thermoplastics in commercial production. It is an amorphous polymer with a very high Tg (around 70°C higher than polyetheretherketone (PEEK)) and provides excellent impact resistance. It also provides outstanding flame, smoke and toxicity (FST) performance, as confirmed in standard Ohio State University (OSU) tests.