Duesseldorf, Germany -- BASF is to showcase its composites based on continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastics for the automotive industry at the Composites Europe trade show.
BASF's multi-material lightweight composites team will showcase developments made using three plastic matrix systems: polyurethane, epoxy resin and polyamide.
The company will show a multi-segmented convertible roof module in which a polyurethane foam core is sandwiched between carbon-fibre reinforced cover layers. The closed-cell structural PU foam acts as a low-bulk-density spacer between the cover layers of the laminate, ensuring extremely high component stiffness and providing good insulating properties, BASF said.
At a total weight of 2.9 kg, the roof segment based on a fibre-reinforced composite sandwich reduces weight by more than 35 percent compared to an aluminium, and by more than 65 percent compared to a steel structure, BASF claimed. BASF will present the new design at the AVK conference preceding the Composites Europe event.
Composites Europe will be held 9-11 Oct in Duesseldorf.
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