TFP Unveils Lightweight, High-Temperature Fibre Veils for Composites at CAMX 2021

Technical Fibre Products Ltd (TFP, Burneside, U.K) introduces some of its new, lightweight veils designed for high-temperature performance in composites. The polyimide and basalt veils are part of TFP’s OPTIVEIL range and have been developed specifically to expand TFP’s selection of high-temperature materials.

The polyimide veil is said to be 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, TFP notes. 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 basalt veil has been developed as a more temperature-stable alternative to TFP’s standard E & ECR glass veils. It 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.

In addition to increased temperature stability TFP says these new materials also offer the uniformity and surface quality synonymous with the company’s OPTIVEIL and OPTIMAT ranges, which include carbon, glass, aramid, recycled carbon fiber, metal-coated and thermoplastic nonwovens, to name a few. This quality of dispersion reportedly makes the materials suitable for a wide range of composite applications including surface finish, improving resin flow, adhesive carriers and imparting functionality where required, and in this case, high temperature stability.

TFP also exhibits its TECNOFIRE intumescent materials. These are said to deliver highly effective, integrated fire protection at the surface of a composite without compromising the integrity of the structure. TECNOFIRE is easy to incorporate during composite fabrication, without additional processing steps, and enables the resulting structure to pass relevant industry fire tests.