Composites

Evonik product solutions for fiber-matrix, thermosetting and epoxy resin composite systems enable the production of lightweight, versatile, and high-performance composites. As experts in fiber-reinforced composites we think “systems,” not “products” ensuring we support our customers to improve resource management and manufacturing costs. Our range of products can be found in almost all components of fiber-reinforced composites used for automotive, aviation, wind power, construction, oil & gas markets, medical applications and sports equipment.

We supply impact strength modifiers or processing additives, and depending on the composite application and desired modification, we also provide different customized solutions for composite matrix systems to improve the processability of composite thermosets and textiles. For example, adding our silica nanoparticles into epoxy resins enhances the mechanical properties to significantly improve fatigue performance. With tougheners based on reactive liquid rubbers or core shell elastomers, tackifiers for prepregs and process additives, we have a comprehensive product portfolio that enables the composite industry to maximize the lightweight construction potential of fiber-reinforced composites.  

By using flexibilizers or adding non-reactive flexibilizers we can overcome the major brittleness disadvantage of epoxy resins by significantly improving the tensile strength and modulus, thermal and chemical resistance, and thermal dimensional stability properties of composites. Evonik copolymers based on reactive elastomers also help to toughen the resin. Our different ALBIPOX® grades are reaction products that work directly between epoxy resins and an elastomeric copolymer.

Our core-shell elastomer modified epoxy resin like ALBIDUR® improves impact resistance over a wide temperature range down to as low as -100 °C. In addition, our solutions significantly reduce shrinkage and any negative coefficient effects from thermal expansion. ALBIDUR® products also enable a moderate viscosity to increase upon addition, with no loss of modulus or Tg. Furthermore, these products provide damage tolerant composite systems and improved fatigue performance.

Our reactive epoxy resin modifiers under our NANOPOX® products contain nanoparticles that significantly improve the fatigue performance, modulus, and flexural strength increasing the overall toughness of composites. Due to their small size and absence of any larger aggregates, the nanoparticles easily penetrate all fiber structures making them ideal for all state-of-the-art process technologies like resin infusion, RTM, or resin injection. NANOPOX® F also significantly improves the compressive strength and lowers the CTE which results in lower shrinkage for our customers’ composites.

Toughened and stiff fiber-reinforced composites with outstanding fatigue performance can be manufactured by combining rubber-toughening with our silica nanoparticles modification. ALBIPOX® products can be used by epoxy resin formulators like a modular system so there are no limitations on the resins and hardeners that can be used. We’re able to overcome some of the other drawbacks of rubber toughening like lower modulus, by using our ALBIPOX® nanosilica. The synergy between both modifications enables fracture toughness to be increased making the ALBIPOX® F products especially suitable for heavy-duty applications or ballistic applications.

Our TEGOPREN®, TEGOMER®, TEGO® Antifoam solutions improve processability and help to lower the manufacturing costs for our composite customers. With only small amounts of these additives in thermosetting resin formulations the manufacturing process of fiber-reinforced composites can be made easier. Additional improvements include enhanced wetting of glass fibers, filler and flame retardants, dispersion, and reduced sedimentation. Our defoamers prevent air bubble formation while other process additives significantly improve scratch resistance of surfaces.