NEW SERVICE!
CAE ServicesFor inquiries regarding SDS and various chemical substance investigations, please make your request through your purchasing route, such as via a trading company.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
CNF-reinforced thermoplastics are composite products that combine Asahi Kasei’s highly heat-resistant cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with various types of engineering plastics to yield lightweight materials with excellent regrindability*.
*As defined by UL 746A, regrind refers to a noncontaminated product or scrap from molding, such as sprues or runners that have been reclaimed by shredding, repalletizing, and granulating for use in-house.
Features of CNF Reinforced Resin
The CNFs developed by Asahi Kasei are biomass fibers made from cotton linter derived from non-edible plants, which is produced in the process of cottonseed oil manufacturing.
Asahi kasei's cotton linter-derived CNF is characterized by its superior heat resistance compared to other CNFs obtained from wood and other sources. This property allows for the suppression of fiber thermal degradation during the high-temperature kneading required for resin composites, enabling the reinforcement effect of CNF to be maintained while being compounded with the resin.
Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) are smaller and softer than carbon fibers (CF) and glass fibers (GF). This characteristic helps to reduce nozzle wear in 3D printers and prevents wear on counterpart materials when used in sliding parts.
Asahi Kasei's high heat-resistant CNF is characterized by minimal thermal degradation and fiber breakage during regrinding use. This feature ensures that even when injection-molded products are repelleted (kneaded and pelletized) repeatedly, there is little deterioration in the physical properties of the resin composite.
By highly dispersing CNFs in the resin, a CNF network is formed, and thixotropic* properties in the molten state of the resin.
*Thixotropy: A property where viscosity is high under low shear and low under high shear.
This characteristic ensures that, for example, in 3D printer modeling, the material flows easily during nozzle discharge, resulting in improved adhesion between layers. Conversely, after discharge, the viscosity quickly increases, ensuring the stability of the model. Additionally, in applications involving profile extrusion, it improves the extrudability of crystalline resins, which have previously been challenging due to their low viscosity during melting.
We are developing 3D molding materials that contain 5-10% CNF in polyamide and have excellent low warpage, dimensional accuracy, appearance, strength, and heat resistance.
This material is characterized by its high heat resistance and excellent molding accuracy among commercially available filaments. Furthermore, despite being a fiber-reinforced resin, it has a smooth surface appearance and can be used for a variety of applications, including prototypes and mechanical parts.
We are developing a material for 3D printers that enables molding of soft materials with low shrinkage and warpage, which was previously difficult to mold, by adding CNF.
Products made with this material can express a wider range of softness than commercially available soft materials, and are suitable for cushioning materials and sheets.
It also features higher hydrolysis resistance than commercially available polyurethane filaments.
The thixotropic properties of CNF enable the extrusion of crystalline resins into irregular shapes, which has been difficult in the past due to their low viscosity.
This characteristic enables low warpage and thin-wall extrusion, and since the shape can be maintained in the molten state, it is expected to speed up the extrusion process.
What is profile extrusion?
A molding process in which molten resin is extruded directly from an extruder die to continuously produce long products with a constant cross-sectional shape.
Product examples: rails, door gaskets, tubes, transportation parts, elevator parts, furniture, etc.
| CNF addition rate | None | 1% | 3% | 5% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specific Gravity | 23°C | g/cm³ | 1.40 | 1.41 | 1.41 | 1.41 |
| Tensile Stress | 23°C | MPa | 55 | 58 | 63 | 69 |
| Tensile elongation | 23°C | % | 53 | 32 | 13 | 7 |
| Tensile modulus | 23°C | MPa | 2490 | 2940 | 3370 | 3930 |
| Flexural strength | 23°C | MPa | 81 | 88 | 95 | 102 |
| Flexural modulus | 23°C | MPa | 2550 | 2770 | 3200 | 3730 |
| Charpy impact strength | 23°C | kJ/m² | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| DTUL | 1.80MPa | °C | 86 | 94 | 104 | 119 |
| Coefficient of Thermal Expansion | MD/TD | ppm/°C | 116/115 | 108/113 | 94/117 | 81/117 |
Molding Condition: Compliant with ISO 294
Test piece: ISO 20753 type A1
Mold temp.=80°C
Please contact us to ask any questions, discuss any concerns, and request samples.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions about our products or technologies or to request samples.
We will introduce Asahi Kasei 's engineering plastic products and technologies in more detail.
We regularly deliver product and industry information to help you gather information.
