Composites

The addition of Sunstrand sustainable materials in composites reduces the use of environmentally detrimental plastics and improves mechanical properties

Composites can be found in nearly every facet of everyday life. The computer I’m typing on, the table I am sitting at, and the shoes that I’m wearing are all made of composite materials. Today, these materials are made with synthetic polymer and resin blends. Once disposed of, the environmentally harmful and nonbiodegradable materials remain in landfills and even make their way in forests, lakes, and oceans where they will remain for potentially hundreds of years. By incorporating Sunstrand’s sustainable material into your applications, you can improve biodegradability, reduce weight, and remove harmful synthetic materials that make their way into our ecosystem.

Companies are continuously turning to natural fibers for use in polymer composites due to their formability, abundance, renewability, cost-effectiveness, and environment-friendly features.

Common resins typically used in these composites are polypropylene, polyethylene, epoxy, and polyester. Additional surface treatments are available to ensure polymer compatibility and improving natural fiber compatibility.

Our material is well suited for compression molding manufacturing processes!

Compression molding is the most common manufacturing process for composite sheets like these, as it is less expensive than most others. Manufacturers supply NFC’s to a number of end-use industries, such as building and construction, automotive, electrical and electronics. Products in these industries include door panels, seat backs, laptop cases, bicycle frames, and more

Major advantages of using Sunstrand fibers in composites include:

  • Natural fibers are renewable
  • Low cost of production and low energy consumption
  • NFC’s have high specific strength and stiffness
  • When subjected to heat, NFC’s emit significantly less toxic gas compared to synthetic fiber composites. This is yet another environmental advantage.
  • The damage caused to the processing equipment is also less in comparison to synthetic fiber composites
  • NFC’s have less density, which helps in the weight reduction
  • Potential cost reduction