Moving from laboratory formulations to manufacturable composite products is rarely straightforward—and that’s exactly where innovation happens.
Within the CompSTLar project, AIMPLAS is exploring the integration of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and graphene/CNT hybrid nanofillers into VICTREX™ Low Melt PAEK (LMPAEK) matrices to develop next-generation multifunctional unidirectional carbon fiber (UD) tapes.
Our journey started with the compounding of LMPAEK masterbatches containing graphene-based additives, followed by their use in a continuous fiber impregnation process to manufacture UD CF/Graphene-PAEK tapes. The goal? To create lightweight thermoplastic composites that could eventually support advanced functionalities such as improved electrical conductivity, helping pave the way toward enhanced lightning-strike protection for future aerospace structures.
During the first impregnation trials, processing temperatures of around 400°C were selected to reduce viscosity and facilitate fiber wetting. Surprisingly, the material became extremely viscous, preventing proper carbon fiber impregnation. Further investigations at 330°C revealed a very different behavior, with significantly improved processability.
These findings suggest that prolonged exposure to high temperatures may trigger degradation and/or reticulation phenomena in the LMPAEK matrix, potentially amplified by the presence of carbon-based nanomaterials. Understanding these mechanisms is now helping us define more suitable manufacturing windows for multifunctional thermoplastic composites.
Currently at TRL 3–4, this work represents an important step toward scaling smart composite materials from laboratory compounds to industrially relevant UD tapes, while supporting the transition to more recyclable and energy-efficient alternatives to conventional thermoset composites.
A key milestone has been achieved: continuous UD tapes have been successfully manufactured at laboratory scale, and upcoming work will evaluate higher nanofiller contents and their impact on electrical performance and automated tape placement (ATP) processing.