A key application for TFP’s nonwovens in composites is their use as a support architecture for films, reinforcement materials or other fragile substrates. They are widely used to stabilise these materials during processing and aid insertion into a composite structure during fabrication.
Typical examples of materials needing stabilisation include:
- Thermoplastic films
- Automated Fibre Placement (AFP)
- Honeycomb
- Expanded copper foil (Lightning Strike Protection)
Our nonwovens are widely used in this capacity and offer a number of benefits, including:
- Improving the resin infusion and handle-ability of the composite reinforcement or fragile material in question.
- Providing consistent structural integrity (due to an exceptionally even fibre distribution), whilst ensuring the minimum possible weight addition – our nonwovens are available in weights as low as 2 g/m².
- Enabling the incorporation of particulates such as microcapsules or nanomaterials when this is required in downstream processing.