According to foreign media reports, Mitsubishi Chemical Co., Ltd. developed a carbon fiber sheet molding compound (SMC) hybrid molding technology (hybrid molding technology). This technology is the core of automotive structural materials molding technology, designed for its Product support, for which Mitsubishi Chemical uses CPC Srl molding technology, CPC Srl is an Italian company, Mitsubishi Chemical also invested in the company.
SMC usually uses short chopped fibers, but Mitsubishi Chemical uses carbon fiber fabric. Compared with the traditional SMC process, the use of the press molding method (Press molding) production, the material strength Higher, according to the company's vision, the future will use non-crimp fabric (non-crimp fabric, NCF) carbon fiber fabric, because the NCF bumps (indents) and indentations (indentations) very little.
Mitsubishi Chemical's molding technology not only ensures the strength of the material, but also the use of prepreg compression molding (PCM) / SMC hybrid molding technology to produce complex parts of the shape. PCM and SMC technology are used heat But the PCM is made of fast curing epoxy resin, and the fiber and the short fiber version of the SMC can use the same vinyl ester resin. To this end, the use of the same vinyl ester resin (thermosetting resin) SMC technology, the interface adhesion strength (adhesive strength) higher.
Although the thermoplastic resin has high viscosity and impregnation is difficult, the SMC molding process is suitable for materials with a mass of 3500 g / m2. The parts are complex and have a higher rigidity. Mitsubishi Chemical plans in the vehicle grade structure And the market for small-tow carbon fibers for SMC. In addition, the company will provide high-quality carbon fiber for SMC.