Arkema debuts at China Composites Expo 2020

With expertise in the main technologies of additive manufacturing, Arkema is the only chemicals producer in the world with a complete portfolio of high-performance materials for its 3D Printing Solution by Arkema. In recent years, Arkema is contributing to the development of completely integrated digital manufacturing platforms and has established strategic partnership with Continuous Composites, creator of Continuous Fiber 3D Printing technology (CF3D), 9T Labs (Zurich), a start-up specializing in the 3D printing of thermoplastic composites, etc.

With the increasing demand for lightweighting materials in China, Arkema has been accelerating the layout and R&D in composite materials. Arkema’s R&D Center Phase II at Changshu was opened in July 2018. It includes a composite facility dedicated to Arkema’s cutting edge thermoplastic composite technology. Besides, Arkema also attaches great importance to establishing long-term cooperative relations with Chinese customers. It has already been cooperating with the well-known Chinese composite enterprises such as Goldwind, Sinoma Blade, and AVIC High Tech etc.

“China and the global composite market is dynamic. As a major player in composites, Arkema actively participates in this field. Composites solutions for lightweighting materials represent one of Arkema’s six sustainable R&D platforms, in China, we’ll fully leverage our advanced R&D and manufacturing facilities, keep up with the latest trends of innovation and meet the increasing demand for lightweight materials in local market.”

The exhibited advanced materials and solutions at China Composites Expo 2020 included:

• Elium liquid thermoplastic composite resin
  Elium resin is a liquid thermoplastic resin for making recyclable composite parts, as the flagship product from its range of thermoplastic matrices, it has one major advantage: using the same conventional thermosetting resin transformation technologies, it can be transformed at room temperature. The mechanical properties of the parts obtained are comparable to thermosets.
• Kepstan PEKK resin and Orgasol polyamide powders
  Kepstan PEKK resin often used to replace metal in extreme conditions (offshore, aeronautic). Thanks to this high performance polyether ketone, the final composite is endowed with superior resistance to impact, high temperature and highly corrosive chemical agents.
• Orgasol polyamide powders, thermoplastic ultra-fine powders, minimize crack propagation at the fiber-matrix interface in thermoset prepregs. As a result, the final composites are tougher and longer lasting.
• Luperox organic peroxides
  Luperox organic peroxides are crosslinking agents for unsaturated polyester resins (including foam) that help speed up processing and ensure better control of continuous or semi-continuous processes to produce harder composite resins.
• Bostik intelligent adhesive solution
  Brand new and modern touch screen experience, enabling close interaction and helping customers to learn a range of solutions and the latest R&D technology applications of Bostik in industrial adhesives.
• Resin flexibilizer Nanostrength
  The nanostructured acrylic block copolymers Nanostrength is an additive for the matrix resin. They help enhance the impact resistance of the matrix with no loss of module or temperature stability. They can be used both in epoxy or vinyl ester composite matrices and in structural adhesives.