TEXTILES.ORG
The world’s first commercially available interleaving nanofiber veil for
use in fiber-reinforced thermoset polymer composite materials has been developed by New Zealand-based Revolution Fibres in partnership with
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company.
Xantu.Layr® XLB is made from Lexter, a XD10 thermoplastic, bio-based polyamide resin developed by Mitsubishi. The veil is produced using sonic electrospinning technology, a proprietary production method that creates an ultra-thin nonwoven web consisting of kilometer-long thermoplastic nanofibers, each of which is about 500 times thinner than a human hair.
The veil improves composite materials by providing nano-scale reinforcement of the brittle matrix resin, creating a tougher resin that is less prone to micro-cracking when stressed or impacted. When placed between the plies of reinforcing fibers in a composite laminate, the nanofiber veil improves fracture toughness, compression after impact strength and fatigue resistance of the composite without adding much thickness and weight. In particular, it improves the performance of composite structures that are prone to impact/crash damage, delamination and high flexure or fatigue loadings.
With application possibilities in the aerospace sector, Xantu.Layr XLB is water-repellent and chemically resistant, so it performs even when exposed to high humidity, gasoline or other chemicals. For further details, visit www.xantulayr.com.