Toho Tenax Co. Ltd, the core company of the Teijin Group’s carbon fibres and composites business, has developed TENAX XMS32, a new grade carbon fibre that achieves both high-tenacity and high-tensile modulus required for aircraft and automotive applications.

The new grade carbon fibre has a uniform structure by optimizing the structural design of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based precursor and by optimizing its manufacturing process. Compared to TENAX IMS65, the existing grade carbon fibre that has been mainly used for aircraft applications, TENAX XMS32 offers 10 per cent more tenacity and 10 per cent greater tensile modulus. In addition, resin adherence has been significantly improved through new surface-modification technology to refine the chemical characteristics of the carbon fibre’s surface and control its smoothness on the nano-level, according to a press release.

Carbon fibre used in aircraft, automotive, high-end sports, and leisure applications must offer very high levels of stiffness, as well as improved tenacity and tensile modulus. Toho Tenax is developing prepreg using TENAX XMS32 for airplanes and plans to develop prepregs for automotive and high-end sports and leisure applications in the foreseeable future. (GK)