NIAR's NCAMP qualifying TenCate thermoplastic composite

The National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP), a laboratory within the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University (Wichita, KS, US), reports that it is performing a full qualification on TenCate Cetex TC1225 T700GC 12K T1E unidirectional tape, 145 gsm with 34% resin content. The material is based on a low-melt polyaryletherketone (LMPAEK) polymer from Victrex (Clevelys, U.K.) that has a processing temperature of 50-75°C less than typical PAEK materials.

Rachael Andrulonis, senior research engineer at NIAR, told CW, “For this qualification program, an industry steering committee has been involved in the development of a test matrix best suited for the material type and potential applications. As this is the first PAEK thermoplastic NCAMP qualification, a number of trial studies (physical and mechanical) were completed prior to qualification testing. At this time, the prepreg material and most panels have been fabricated and delivered to NIAR. We are currently preparing the panels for machining and will begin testing in the next month. All mechanical and physical tests will be completed in 2019.”

NCAMP has already qualified or is completing qualification of two other thermoplastic materials, both from Teijin (Rockwood, TN, US): Tenax-E TPWF PEEK-HTA40 E13 3K 5HS semipreg and Tenax-E TPCL PEEK-HTA40 E13 3K 5HS laminate. 

Andrulonis also reports that NCAMP expects to begin qualification of other thermoplastic materials in 2019. “We are currently assessing industry needs and have not made a final selection of the materials,” she says.