Composite reinforcement specialist Kordsa (Istanbul, Turkey) has introduced a new resin technology that reportedly reduces the time of the curing process from 9 minutes to 3 minutes. With this new resin technology, Kordsa says it has also developed and launched a process technology suitable for automotive production speed.
Kordsa’s new technology was developed at its R&D Center at Composite Technologies Composite Center of Excellence, which brings together industry representatives and academics under the same roof for basic research, applied research, technology development, product development, entrepreneurship and manufacturing processes. This new technology will bring a fresh new dimension to the industry and Kordsa’s range of thermoset prepregs, which include a wide range of resin formulations specially formulated by Kordsa for different applications and production processes. Its short curing cycle and hot de-moldable nature are especially optimized for automotive mass production.
The company stated that compression molding is the recommended process for this new resin system. It not only cures under three minutes at 150°C at press under isothermal curing conditions but also is hot de-moldable and has a long out-life of two weeks at ambient temperature. These extreme conditions does not affect the visual performance of this innovative prepreg system which is capable of giving class A surface quality. The new visual prepreg shows a good drapability and is suitable for both fast press molding and low to medium tack optimized for press curing.
Due to its mid to high Tg formulation, it is suitable for cataphoresis, hot painting, and hot adhesive bonding, the new all-in-one fast cure hot de-moldable press curable visual prepreg is available as UD and various weaving styles of carbon and glass. Designed also for structural applications requiring excellent chemical resistance, it gives flexibility with its good chemical resistance.
