SHD Group has announced the launch of two new epoxy prepreg systems, both offering significant bio-derived raw material content, as well as additive sustainability features.
These novel materials have been specifically developed to assist SHD’s global customer base with their ever-increasing focus on sustainability and carbon reduction. Adding to established bio-based systems in SHD’s portfolio, these new products further underline SHD’s commitment to advance more environment friendly composite solutions.
MTB350 is a component prepreg system combining 30% bio-content derived from a renewable source, an excellent range of properties, potential for snap curing and a room temperature shelf life of at least 90 days. Bio content is certified to international standards and the extended room temperature life offered by MTB350 provides the potential for further reducing both the total embodied energy in a final part, as well as the costs (and risks) associated with storage and shipping of valuable prepreg materials.
LTB310-1 is a low temperature cure epoxy tooling prepreg also with 30% bio-derived content, with mechanical and processing performance on a par with other industry standard SHD tooling systems. Initial cures down to 45°C are possible with an ultimate Tg of over 200°C achievable after post cure.
To support the launch of MTB350 and LTB310-1, SHD has completed an extensive characterisation and test marketing programme, working across a range of reinforcement types. SHD has particularly focused on component applications with natural flax fibres and flax carbon hybrid (FCH) reinforcement types, seeking to further enhance the sustainability of finished composite components.
Initially MTB350 and LTB310-1 will be available from SHD’s UK manufacturing site, with product rollouts from its European (Krsko, Slovenia) and USA (Mooresville, NC) manufacturing facilities in early 2022.
The products will be formally launched at next week’s Advanced Engineering Show where examples of some early adopters will be demonstrated. Visit SHD’s stand T70 to find out more.
