Collaboration sees the development of FST qualified thermoplastic honeycomb panels

EconCore, Toray Advanced Composites and Bostik, are celebrating the development of a thermoplastic honeycomb core sandwich panel for use in mass transportation applications, including aircraft interiors.

By using Toray Cetex reinforced thermoplastic laminates as skins, EconCore’s thermoplastic honeycomb core based on thermoplastic chemistries with FST qualification, and Bostik’s flame retardant thermoplastics polyester web adhesive, the collaboration has seen the new material pass fire, smoke and toxicity regulations applying to aircraft interiors. It is optimised for safety.

The three companies came together to provide a sustainable solution to more expensive and labour-intensive fabrication of parts based on conventional sandwich layup that is currently used in aerospace, such as that of phenolic prepreg skins and phenolic impregnated aramid honeycomb core. 

By using EconCore’s continuous process and compression moulding, the new thermoplastic technology can take around 60 seconds to form the desired shape.

Not only is the thermoplastic honeycomb part less time consuming to make, the thermoplastic solution is more sustainable as the traditional thermoset materials used are not recyclable.

When looking to discard EconCore’s thermoplastic honeycomb skin, it can be easily recycled, shredded and repurposed into composites.