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Thermoplastic Composites
Development and Manufacturing
CHRISTIAN Composites

Thermoplastic composites

Thermoplastic composites with endless, oriented fibre reinforcement are characterised by their outstanding mechanical, thermal and chemical properties and outperform thermoset composites or short-fibre reinforced thermoplastics in many areas. Their beneficial properties make them perfectly suited for applications with high demands on material and part shape or complex applications. Their inherent recyclability also helps achieve a more sustainable use of resources.

The potential of composites can only be fully exploited through a deep understanding and the right combination of their basic components. With over 50 years of experience in the field of thermoplastics, Ensinger offers a broad portfolio of products and services for thermoplastic composites.

We are continuously refining our products, materials and offerings. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, our team provides customer service and technical support tailored to your needs to help you find the best solution for your application. 

We are happy to advise and support you – please do not hesitate to contact us.


Product Portfolio

Prepreg and Semipreg

Thermoplastic prepregs and semipregs are produced in various fabric variations with a broad variety of thermoplastic materials as matrix materials.

Organosheets

Thermoplastic organo sheets are manufactured from prepreg- or, semipreg material or using the film stacking process. The material components can be adapted to your individual application. 

Composite plates

We create our composite plates and tubes to meet your individual requirements.

Parts made of composite materials

Thermoplastic fibre composites can be used in a variety of ways. While organosheets are predestined for flat components, with the right processes and tools geometrically complex or even hollow structures can also be produced from thermoplastic composites. Components with visual qualitiy surfaces for visual applications can also be produced.

What are fiber-reinforced plastics?

Due to their outstanding properties, fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), also known as composites, are already extremely relevant in numerous applications. Until now, composites made of combinations of continuous glass fibres (GFRP) or carbon or carbon fibres (CFRP) with a thermoset polymer matrix such as epoxy resin, so-called fibre-reinforced thermosets, have mostly been used. However, thermosets as matrix materials cannot meet the high demands of high-end applications in all cases. 

A family of advanced composites offers more diverse application possibilities: thermoplastic composites. These are fibre-reinforced plastics that have a thermoplastic matrix instead of a thermoset matrix, also known as fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (FRTP). Thermoplastic composites consist of two components: A continuous fibre reinforcement, usually made of carbon or glass fibres, and a matrix material made of thermoplastic. The combination allows the advantageous properties of the two components to be exploited.

The type of fibre and the fibre architecture of the reinforcement material used can be customised to the application. Almost all thermoplastic polymers can be used as matrix material, from commodities such as polypropylene to high-performance plastics such as PEEK. In addition to the familiar carbon or glass fibres, other fibre types such as aramid, basalt or natural fibres can also be used as reinforcements.

The Ensinger Composites portfolio includes a wide range of different engineering and high-temperature plastics with continuous fibre reinforcement made of carbon fibres, glass fibres, synthetic or natural fibres. From materials such as prepregs and organosheets to stock shapes such as plates or even customised products - our experts will accompany you with expertise and many years of experience in the field of high-quality composite solutions. 


Material combinations

High performance thermoplastic fibre composites are available in a wide range of material combinations, allowing the composite to be tailor-made to suit the application:

Matrix materials

From PP to PC to PEEK, almost all thermoplastic polymers can be used as matrix materials:

  • Bio-based, biodegradable polymers
  • Polypropylene (PP)
  • Polyamide 6 (PA 6)
  • Polyoxymethylene (POM)
  • Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)
  • Polyamide 66 (PA 66)
  • Polycarbonate (PC)
  • Styrene acrylonitrile (SAN)
  • Polyetherimide (PEI)
  • Polyphenylene sulphide (PPS)
  • Polyether sulfone (PES)
  • Low-melt polyaryletherketone (LM-PAEK)
  • Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
  • Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK)
 

Reinforcing materials and fibres

Various weave structures can be used for the reinforcing fabric. The type of fibre as well as the weave can be adapted to the specific application.

  • GFRP: Glass fibre reinforced plastic
    • Glass fibre fabric,
    • Unidirectional glass fibres
  • CFRP: Carbon or carbon reinforced plastic
    • Carbon fibre fabric
    • Unidirectional carbon fibres
  • Synthetic fibres such as aramid
  • Natural fibre fabrics such as basalt or flax

Ensinger also offers composites materials with special plastics, formulations and blends, including:

  • Medical Grade PEEK
  • Flame-resistant polycarbonate for use in aircraft interiors
  • Composites with low-melting polyaryletherketone PAEK (LM-PAEK) 

For other materials and combinations, please do not hesitate to ask us.


Advantages & characteristics of composites

 Thermoplastic fibre composites have unique properties and many advantages over non-reinforced and short-fibre reinforced plastics as well as fibre-reinforced thermoset materials. 
  • Due to their significantly higher impact strength and thus higher damage tolerance, thermoplastic composites are much more suitable for applications in harsh environments than thermosets. In addition, the high elongation at break of thermoplastics provides a tough, non-brittle fracture behaviour. For some applications, the inherent vibration damping of the matrix can also be a relevant advantage.
  • The use of fibre-reinforced plastics allows a much lower weight compared to metals and metal alloys with the same stiffness or strength. By using continuous, oriented fibres (e.g. unidirectional or woven), fibre-reinforced plastics have a much higher specific strength and stiffness than short-fibre reinforced or unreinforced plastics. Plates of thermoplastic composites, for example, have a density between 1.3 and 1.8 g/cm³ and thus a similar specific weight to unreinforced or short-fibre reinforced sheets. However, due to the reinforcing fibres, the mechanical properties are drastically increased and reach a metal-like level. For example, compared to non-reinforced polymer sheets, continuous fibre-reinforced sheets achieve, 5 times higher values for tensile strength and modulus of elasticity.
  • Layup sequence and local reinforcements can be customised to the requirements of the respective project. Shape and fibre direction can also be customised.
  • While metals cannot be used in all applications, thermoplastic composites - depending on the polymer used - are particularly resistant even in harsh environments. PPS and PEEK are especially suitable here. We will be happy to advise you on your individual application, resorting to over 50 years of experience in the field of thermoplastics. Depending on the application, polymers with high chemical or physical resistance or low moisture absorption are used.
  • Thermoplastics retain their mechanical properties even at elevated temperatures - thermoplastic composites are therefore stable and reliable even in demanding thermal environments. Continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastics have extremely low coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) in the range of about 5x10-6 K-1. This property is of great importance for applications where the components are exposed to temperature fluctuations over a wide range and high precision is required.
  • Compared to unreinforced or short-fibre-reinforced polymers, continuous-fibre-reinforced materials have a significantly higher creep resistance and thus also improved fatigue behaviour.
  • Thermoplastic fibre composites have excellent vibration damping properties due to their intrinsic self-damping properties. This can be particularly advantageous in applications where vibrations need to be filtered.

Advantages in the processing of thermoplastic composites

  • High-performance thermoset resins often take several hours to cure and require a lot of manual effort in the manufacturing process. Thermoplastic composites do not require chemical curing and can therefore reduce process times to just a few minutes. Thermoplastic composites enable automated manufacturing and make it possible to produce high volumes with consistent quality. This means that high-quality series production is possible.
  • Thermoplastic composites can be stored and transported at room temperature. In addition, they can be stored indefinitely.
  • Fiber-reinforced thermoplastics soften when the composite parts are heated to high temperatures. They can be formed and welded quickly and repeatable.
  • Thermoset composites cure permanently due to the chemical cross-linking mechanism and thus cannot be reused. Thermoplastic composites offer advantages in terms of resource-saving material use: the material can be reused by melting and, if necessary, chipping and thus offers an opportunity for material recycling, both at material and component level.
  • No VOCs are released during the processing of composite thermoplastic materials, because the materials are solvent-free.

Composite manufacturing: The Ensinger "One-Stop-Shop"  

At Ensinger, we cover the entire process chain in-house - from raw material to finished component. Our portfolio ranges from powders, semipregs, prepregs, organosheets, compression moulded composite plates and finished parts to customer development projects that are realised with a wide variety of material combinations.

n order to further process semipregs, prepregs or organic sheets into thermoplastic composite components, we are at your side with a high level of expertise. More than 15 years of experience in the processing of thermoplastic fibre composites as well as in the development of the corresponding processes and tools make us a competent partner for your application. 

Prepreg and Semipregs

Click here for more information on our prepregs & semipregs.

 

Organosheets

If you are looking for consolidated multilayer thermoplastic organic sheets, please visit our organosheet page


Industries

Thermoplastic composites for aerospace

Matrix materials such as PEEK, PEI and PPS are already used for structural and semi-structural aerospace parts such as clamps, cleats, interior parts and leading edges. Through Ensinger’s know-how the production of geometric complex parts based on the materials above is possible and opens up new opportunities in parts’ design.

Thermoplastic composites for automotive 

Thermoplastic fibre composites are suitable for processes with short cycle times and are therefore ideal for semi-structural and structural applications in the automotive industry, such as panels, battery housings or under-floors.

Thermoplastic composites for mechanical engineering

The industrial applications of thermoplastic composites are manifold. They are characterised by their low weight and high stiffness, but also by the adaptability of their properties. The low coefficient of thermal expansion of composites enables tight tolerances in a wide temperature range, e.g. for robot handling  systems.

Thermoplastic composites for medical applications

The inherent strength, low weight and chemical resistance of thermoplastic composites based on PEEK and PEKK make them ideal candidates for applications such as surgical instruments, which require high strength and stiffness, X-ray transparency and resistance to the harshest sterilisation cycles.

Thermoplastic composites for the oil and gas industry

The excellent chemical and thermal resistance of some thermoplastic polymers, combined with the mechanical properties of fibre-reinforced composites, can open up new applications for the oil and gas industry that would not be possible with other materials.

Thermoplastic composites for sports and leisure

The intrinsic toughness of thermoplastic composites is a welcome additional property for all those sporting goods that are exposed to the risk of impacts and falls during use, such as mountain bike components. In addition, the automated manufacturing process enables high and stringent quality as well as cost-efficient production.


Contact US

You can contact us personally, by our contact form, by email at [obfemailstart]Y29tcG9zaXRlc0BlbnNpbmdlcnBsYXN0aWNzLmNvbQ==[obfemailend] or by phone +49 171 8414506.