Commingled composites

COMMINGLING TECHNOLOGY

COMFIL technology makes it possible to make commingled yarns by intimately blending thermoplastic fibers with reinforcing fibers. This is done by mixing the fibers at filament level with air using a commingling nozzle, ending up with one single yarn of intimately commingled fibers.

There is no need for complicated resin infusion techniques or the like, as all materials needed for a thermoplastic composite are present in the yarn or fabric. The only requirement for making a composite from commingled materials is heat and pressure.

The commingling technology is an off-line process which allows complete freedom to choose your reinforcement fiber and thermoplastic polymer to mix into a single yarn.

Why choose commingling

The commingling process is a very flexible process, and has a lower cost compared to other composite processes due to it being high volume industrial process. The physical proximity of the melting thermoplastic fibers to reinforcing fibers allows for very quick and easy wet out during pressing and forming.

Our commingled products are free of solvents, environmentally friendly and have the option to be recycled both mechanically and chemically.

Advantage of commingled composites

Standard thermoplastic materials

Darcy’s Law

T is time to impregnate system
C is Constant for the system to be impregnated
η is the viscosity/permeability of the polymer/matrix
X is the distance which the polymer/matrix has to flow
P is applied pressure of the system.

COMFIL commingled materials

For the same Process:

✔ Approximately 100 times faster
✔ Or only requireing 1/10 pressure