Toray Performance Materials Shines at CAMX 2019: Preview of CFRT Innovations

Toray Performance Materials carbon fiber insole. Source | TPMC

Toray Performance Materials Corp. (TPMC, Camarillo, Calif., U.S.) is featuring its line of high-performance, high-volume, continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRT) composite materials. TPMC (formerly part of TenCate Advanced Composites) is highlighting three application examples to the sporting goods, computer, construction, automotive, and medical markets:

• The Air Jordan 11 (AJ11) is a performance footwear application for basketball. The project is enhanced by Toray CFRT BW1000 using TPMC’s proprietary PMMA resin system with carbon and glass reinforcement. The composite material enhances multidirectional movement, and it is ultra-thin, lightweight, and resilient for improved energy return.
• The HP Buffalos uses Toray Cetex TC920 (PC/ABS/carbon fiber woven laminate), which is inherently fire-retardant, meets UL-94 V0 standards without secondary FR fillers, and is also impact-resistant. Toray’s materials were selected for this application to achieve a lightweight, thin profile and to dissipate heat when in operation on a user’s lap.
• The Toray Preform is a medical corrective device using Toray CFRT TL-2100. CFRT TL-2100 is the foremost material for podiatric correction and offers patients thinness for better fit and unmatched comfort, lightweight support and stability, functional control, and resiliency for fast response. Because it is thermoplastic, it is truly heat adjustable.

TPMC says CFRT has advantages over other thermoplastic technologies in the method by which the materials are produced, which is said to lead to greater consistency and accuracy. TPMC composites reportedly have high durability with excellent damping, shock attenuation, and resiliency, resulting in enhanced energy return (spring) and response. TPMC materials can be found in more than 100 million pairs of shoes worldwide and under the feet of more than 5 million patients who require podiatric correction.