Technical Fibre Products (TFP) is set to display advanced nonwovens at JEC Forum DACH in Frankfurt, Germany, on November 23, 2021, in booth C6. TFP will display materials from Optiveil and Tecnofire ranges of composites including surface finish, adding functionality, and providing fire protection. TFP supplies nonwovens to the aerospace industry.

The Optiveil nonwovens provide a number of solutions for composites including surface finish, adhesive carriers or supports, fracture toughness improvement or resin flow media. The latest additions to this range, which will be available at the show, are lightweight veils designed for high temperature performance in composites. These include a polyimide veil, which is the highest temperature stable polymer veil that TFP manufactures, with a maximum service temperature of above 260°C - significantly higher than other polymers such as polyester and PPS, the company said in a press release.

The material was developed as a high-performance insulation material for space applications, designed to offer the temperature stability necessary to withstand missions to Mercury and the Sun, where spacecraft experience extreme temperatures. The other new veil, made from basalt fibre, is stable up to 850°C and retains its integrity, when in contact with an open flame, making it suitable for applications requiring a fire barrier. Basalt, like glass, also has a high resistance to acid and alkali, which makes it ideal for use in corrosive environments.

Examples from the rest of the Optiveil range will also be available. These materials have been developed specifically for composites and are used extensively for applications such as surface finish in composites, with proven results in aerospace, automotive, sporting goods, marine and energy applications. The veils deliver a high-quality resin rich surface, with a dual function of enhancing resin flow and/or adding functionality such as EMI shielding, electrical conductivity, galvanic corrosion protection and abrasion resistance.

Also, on the TFP stand will be the Tecnofire range of lightweight intumescent fire protection materials. The materials work by expanding from 4 to 35 times their original thickness when exposed to heat, protecting the underlying structure from heat energy. The popular range is used extensively in a broad range of applications and has been specified for use in bridges, fire doors, buses, trains, trams and structural panels (to name but a few) following successful fire testing.