Toray Industries, Inc has developed new carbon fibres that realise both higher tensile strength and tensile modulus named Torayca MX series and would expand its lineup going forward. The company will also introduce prepreg (high-performance resin-impregnated fabric) using the MX series carbon fibre to contribute to variety of applications.

In the newly introduced Torayca MX series, Toray further pursued both fibre strength and tensile modulus, which are in a trade-off relationship, to the utmost limit and applied technology to improve the orientation by closely controlling the graphite crystal structure in a nano order. It succeeded in improving the tensile strength of M40X, the first variety of Torayca MX series, by about 30 per cent while retaining the equivalent tensile modulus to conventional carbon fibres.

At the same time, Toray will introduce prepreg with Torayca MX series carbon fibres. The tensile strength, compressive strength and shock resistance of Torayca MX series prepreg, for which Toray’s proprietary nano technology Nanoalloy has been used in the matrix resin, have been significantly improved compared with conventional products. It could contribute to weight reduction of composite parts, as it allows ideal stiffness design while retaining strength.

Toray will enhance the product lineup in the series in response to the market needs and expand the products’ application to those requiring high tensile strength and compression strength.

In the medium-term management programme “Project AP-G 2019”, Toray positions the carbon fibre composite materials business as a strategically expanding business and plans to proactively invest management resources to expand the business. The company will continue to work on development of new products through further improvement in the performance of carbon fibre Torayca and Torayca prepreg and also their processability in a bid to bring about innovation in the society with the power of materials. (PC)