Specialty Fabrics Review October 2019 - 40

Powerful
products and
opportunities are
no longer on the
horizon; they're
on everyone's
doorstep.

"Aerospace engineers are using Z-Flex
aluminized fabrics in custom heat shields
used to optimize energy efficiency on space
shuttles," she says. "Z-Flex may even
be an early visitor to Mars."
STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY
Lightweight, waterproof, breathable,
reshapeable and invisible to X-rays, Forj
Thermoplastic Tape-Ribbon was initially
developed for the medical market as an
alternative to traditional casting and
splinting material. However, because of
the lengthy medical approval process,
it's being diverted to the consumer
market-although it will also eventually
wind up in the medical arena, says Bruce
Goodrich, vice president, operations,
ResinFiber LLC.
Located in Saco, Maine, the company
provides specialized composite solutions
using multiple technologies and materials.

These are just some examples of thermoplastics production techniques used
by ResinFiber. Pictured are carbon and UHMWPE tapes for weaving and layup
machines; braided profiles for reinforcement and structural applications; and
carbon and UHMWPE fiber-reinforced plaques. Photo: ResinFiber LLC.
40 REVIEW OCTOBER 2019

Markets include customers in the oil and
gas industries, textile manufacturing,
shoes, ballistics and automotive markets.
The tape combines an ultra-highmolecular-weight polyethylene
(UHMWPE) fiber with a low-temperatureactivated thermoplastic polymer matrix,
which holds the thermoplastic fiber in
place, resulting in an extremely strong but
light tape, says Goodrich. A 1-inch-wide
piece has a tensile strength of more than
1,000 pounds, while weighing less than 0.5
pound per 100 feet.
"When layered on itself or a substrate,
the bonding layer is stronger than the
ribbon itself," he says. "This is due to the
proprietary processing that allows for the
polymerization across the bond surface.
When this occurs, the entire tape structure
becomes a single homogenous unit, rather
than a buildup of layers."
It can be used to repair parts like pins,
rivets or bolts, and can provide emergency
support to extreme loads, performing well
in very cold environments. Impervious
to water and corrosive chemicals, the tape
is as strong as steel, yet so lightweight it
practically floats, says Goodrich.
It's currently being used to protect
rubber trees from uprooting during
monsoons and typhoons, and is being
tested by the medical, dental and
veterinary communities. For example,
dentists have made bite splints from it
and veterinarians have created prosthetic
limbs for pets. Other opportunities
include athletic protection, law
enforcement, outdoor and recreation,
woodworking, plumbing and workenvironment protection.
LOW WEIGHT, HIGH STRENGTH
Headquartered in Geleen, the
Netherlands, DSM Dyneema produces
the UHMWPE Dyneema® fiber. On a
weight-for-weight basis, the fiber is 15
times stronger than steel, 40 percent
stronger than aramid, and floats on
Specialty Fabrics Review October 2019

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