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PRF COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Stand: X170
Materials Innovations
Composites Engineering
Innovation & Sustainability Trail
https://www.prfcomposites.com

About us

PRF Composite Materials is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high-performance materials for the advanced composites industry, including aerospace, motorsport, renewables, defence, sports & leisure, medical and marine industries.

We are known for our class-leading, innovative prepreg materials. Our product development is driven by helping our customers achieve superior results, and we are now looking at how our materials can also provide improved sustainability. Whilst we recognise the potential of biomaterials, we believe that we can make significant advances now by improving the circularity and reducing the impact of traditional composite materials; making them more sustainable whilst retaining their superior properties.

From this commitment, we have developed REEPREG, our carbon prepreg made with recycled chopped carbon mat. REEPREG is drapeable and easily handled by the constructor, without falling apart when used – which we believe sets it apart from other recycled mat products available. The mat is made using recycled carbon prepreg waste, reducing landfill from kitting and trimming.

We are also looking at lowering energy consumption per part, with Q.tool and our eXpress cure prepreg systems. UK Patent Pending, Q.tool is groundbreaking prepreg tooling technology which significantly reduces the time and costs of carbon tool manufacture, with its uniquely designed surface and 1020g/m2 bulk plies. This combination provides the same weight and thickness as the 1:8:1 system, and significantly reduces the number of debulks to as few as one. Q.tool offers the constructor: up to 50% reduction in labour time/cost, improved sustainability by reducing energy consumption and plastic consumables, and provides exceptional drapeability and surface finish.

Our class-leading eXpress cure prepreg systems also provide opportunities to improve sustainability. Our RP570 eXpress cure is a snap cure system that has a complete processing time of 4 minutes at 140C; our RP570 FR is our fire-retardant version which cures in 5 minutes at 160C. With both systems, there is no need to cycle the mould tool, or cool the tool before demoulding. For customers using autoclave, we have also seen significant energy savings with these systems; RP570 FR typically takes 50% less time to process in autoclave than similar materials.

Developed to minimise the time our prepreg tiles are at room temperature in our facilities, we have also introduced our new Fast to Freeze process. We can now manufacture, cut and freeze our prepreg typically within 1 hour – significantly preserving the out life for our customers. We are also saving over 50% of the plastic consumables that would have been used operationally and are eliminating single use plastics – up to 99% of consumable plastics used in our manufacturing are now recyclable. In packaging, we have a new crating system for deliveries; using reusable wooden crates to ship our prepreg and avoiding significant amounts of cardboard waste.

With our wider range of advanced materials, we provide solutions for manufacturers using hand layup and infusion processing, including reinforcements, epoxy resin systems, mould release and cutting tools.

Doing things differently, PRF is passionate about quality and innovation, and is committed to providing a professional and responsive service with technical support. Our focus going forward is to continue to help our customers improve quality, reduce manufacturing time, and achieve benefits in efficiency, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

Products

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Q.tool recycled

Using our patented Q.tool prepreg tooling technology, we have developed our new prepreg tooling product - Q.tool recycled - which includes recycled carbon replacing 40% of the original virgin fibre content. Q.tool recycled retains all the benefits of our original Q.tool, with improved sustainability. Trials show even more than 50% time saving over standard 1:8:1 carbon tool manufacture, reduced use of plastic consumables, with only 1 debulk required. The system provides exceptional drapeability and surface finish. And at end of life, carbon tools can be recycled – thereby improving circularity and reducing landfill waste. Moulds produced by PRF have been tested by @Green Tech Automotive AC Cars and the results are fantastic! After several cycles, the tools show excellent dimensional stability. They have also been tested for several cycles under pressure to ensure good surface finish and longevity. We found no degradation in the tool surface.

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RP570 FR REEPREG

Developed for aircraft interior components, RP570 FR REEPREG is a fire-retardant eXpress cure prepreg material made with recycled carbon fibre nonwoven mat and has a complete processing time of 5 minutes at 160°C. This innovative material combines REEPREG’s class-leading handleability with PRF’s eXpress cure technology and provides a fire-retardant carbon prepreg material that reduces landfill waste, improves circularity, and is highly suited to high volume manufacturing (HVM). Robert Burnell, CEO and Head of Product Development at PRF comments: “RP570 FR REEPREG has been developed specifically with lightweighting in mind, looking at enabling recycled composite materials to be used in aircraft interior programs and other applications requiring FST properties and HVM. Through significant investment in R&D, we have developed a special methodology of impregnation to ensure that once prepregged, REEPREG is easy to handle and press from a flat sheet into a 3D shape. The development of 400gsm REEPREG also enables thickness to be built up very quickly, thereby reducing cost in these applications.” Now in manufacture, RP570 FR REEPREG offers a significant opportunity for composite component constructors, providing a way towards the industry objective of recover, regenerate and reuse.

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RP570 FR eXpress Cure - Fire-retardant, snap cure prepreg system

PRF Composite Materials is delighted to introduce its new RP570 FR eXpress cure prepreg system. Formulated for structural components requiring FST properties, RP570 FR is a fire-retardant ultra-fast prepreg system which is cured and demouldable after 5 minutes at 160°C. This express resin system is principally designed for snap cure press moulding, however it can equally be used in conventional autoclave moulding and significantly reduces time in the autoclave – up to 50% less – thereby increasing productivity and lowering energy consumption per part. RP570 FR is tested to Federal Aviation Requirements 25.853 Appendix F Part 1, AITM 2.0007 and 3.0005, UL94 V1 and FMVS Standard No.302. Dave Ellson, Managing Director comments: “We believe this product to be class-leading in terms of its eXpress cure opportunity, and its variable cure also provides significant opportunities to constructors to up to halve time in the autoclave. RP570 FR is part of PRF’s drive to develop materials that offer measurable advantages in cost reduction and improved sustainability - with reduced energy consumption and costs, and enabling greater productivity overall.”

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REEPREG

As part of a portfolio of products designed to deliver improved sustainability, PRF Composite Materials is delighted to introduce REEPREG, its new carbon prepreg material made with recycled chopped carbon mat. PRF’s processing allows almost full impregnation, which makes REEPREG drapeable and easily handled by the constructor, without falling apart when used – which the PRF team believes sets it apart from other recycled mat products available. The mat is made using recycled carbon prepreg waste, reducing landfill from kitting and trimming. In the near future, the finished component – including scrap from trimming components – will also be recyclable, thus improving circularity and extending the life cycle of this product. REEPREG will be available in combination with PRF’s component prepreg resin systems and in standard weights of 100gsm, 200gsm and 300gsm. The material can be processed in autoclave and press, and can be used as a core material in conjunction with PRF’s woven and UD prepreg materials. Dave Ellson, Managing Director comments: “This product has such exciting potential. The material is quick to process and when combined with our eXpress cure resin systems, offers a solution that significantly saves time, reduces energy consumption and cost, and removes composite waste from going to landfill. Thereby making it a highly sustainable material.” Robert Burnell, CEO adds: “Whilst we recognise the contribution that bio materials may make in the future of composites, at PRF we believe that we can do more by finding ways to improve the circularity of traditional composite materials; improving their sustainability whilst retaining their superior composite properties. As such, we will continue to invest in product development, where we can improve manufacturing and processing, save energy and reduce plastic and other waste materials.”

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RFA570 eXpress cure Adhesive film for core bonding applications

RFA570 is unique product which has been principally designed for use with RP570 and RP570 FR eXpress cure epoxy prepregs, as an adhesive for core bonding applications. The distinctive characteristics of this product enable it to be cured in a press in 4 minutes at 140°C, thereby speeding up the processing of honeycomb sandwich panels - with either nomex or aluminium honeycombs. The product will also cure in autoclave, with a typical curing cycle of 4 minutes once the tool temperature has stabilised at 140°C. It is fully compatible with our full range of epoxy prepreg systems.

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Q.tool

PRF are excited to launch their new, groundbreaking prepreg tooling system Q.tool (UK Patent Pending). Designed, developed and manufactured in-house, Q.tool significantly reduces the time and costs of tool manufacture, with its uniquely designed surface and 1020 bulk plies. Using PRF's class-leading RP800 epoxy tooling system, the combination of Q.tool’s new surface and 1020g/m2 bulk plies provides the same weight and thickness as the 1:8:1 system, and significantly reduces the number of debulks to as few as one. The increased speed in lay up and reduced number of debulks provides an estimated cost/labour saving of up to 50%. Q.tool also significantly reduces the amount of plastic consumables used; providing cost savings and a more sustainable tooling system. Robert Burnell, CEO comments: “After over 40 years in the industry, I have not seen a tooling system that provides the same benefits to the constructor as Q.tool. We have developed this innovative system to not only be a more cost-effective tooling solution, but to also provide an unrivalled surface finish due to its unique design. We are developing all of our prepreg systems with sustainability in mind, with this system working to dramatically reduce consumable plastic when processed.” Kevin Emmett, Technical and Operations Director at Supernatural-x on using PRF’s new Q.tool system: “We are extremely pleased with how it draped around complex mould shapes and it took half the time to produce our tools, requiring only one debulk stage. The drapeability of the heavyweight 1020 bulk ply is exceptional.”

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RP570 Snap Cure Epoxy Prepreg System

RP570 Snap Cure Epoxy prepreg is an innovative system which has a complete process time of just 4 minutes and produces an aesthetic quality finish in pressed components. Developed for high volume production of parts produced by heated press process, RP570 Snap Cure enables the constructor to create parts in a processing time of just 4 minutes, with no need to cycle the mould tool or to cool the hot mould tool before demoulding at 140°C. Working continuously on a pre-heated mould tool at 140°C, the preform is placed on the mould tool, the mould tool is closed and pressure applied. After 4 minutes the part is fully cured and can be removed from the mould tool without any cooling, enabling parts to be made back-to-back without heating and cooling the mould tool each time. This is achieved by a rapid rise in the Tg of the system, enabling it to rise above the temperature of the mould tool in the 4 minute cycle time. The system is available on the majority of our large range of reinforcement fabrics.

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RP800 50°C epoxy tooling prepreg system

Providing the exceptional quality of PRF’s RP802 Overnight cure, this new system has a 8 hour cure at 50°C and an out life of 5 days at 20°C. Managing Director, Robert Burnell comments: “We are delighted to be adding RP800 to our range of tooling systems, which have received outstanding customer feedback - particularly in terms of the quality of the surface finish in the tool, even after repeated mouldings. This new product provides an additional option for customers requiring improved dimensional accuracy of the finished tool.” The system is in manufacture on a range of PRF’s high quality tooling fabrics.

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RP802 Overnight Cure Epoxy Tooling Prepreg System

Curing in 16 hours at 60°C or 8 hours at 70°C, RP802 Overnight Cure has a tack life of 10 days at 20°C and a Tg of 190°C DSC after post cure. We’re receiving great customer feedback on the system’s handling characteristics, excellent surface finish and the significant advantages the extended tack life provides: tools can be made quicker and more efficiently - making it easier for constructors to manage the build. With flexibility in mind, we have also developed a full range of tooling systems, providing options on cure temperature and time to suit manufacturing requirements including RP800 - our new 50°C tooling system.

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RP549 Highly Toughened Epoxy Prepreg System

Specially formulated for the production of parts requiring high mechanical properties and good impact resistance, PRF's RP549 prepreg system has a Tg of 214°C (DMA) and excellent mechanical properties in tensile, ILS and flexural strength, offering customers a high quality solution for structural components that demand superior mechanical and thermal properties. Feedback from our initial customer trials confirms that the material also has particularly good laminating characteristics, with good tack and grab. The system is now in manufacture on a range of our high quality reinforcement fabrics, including fabrics for aesthetic applications.

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RP542-4 system for broadloom and unidirectional prepreg

Designed as an intermediately toughened system, complimenting both its RP542-1 and super-toughened RP549 systems, PRF's new RP542-4 system is producing excellent results on unidirectional and woven carbon fabrics. The mechanical testing carried out shows the system to have excellent Tensile, Compressive, Flexural and Interlaminar properties and a relatively high Tg of 138°C after curing at 120°C. The onset Tg can be improved by 20°C to 120°C after post curing at 140°C for 2 hours. Adding to its usability, the system also has an out life of 60 days at 20°C. The system is now in manufacture on 300gsm and 600gsm unidirectional carbon and PRF’s wide range of high quality woven fabrics in a variety of fibre types.