Teijin Carbon launches Tenax Next brand, circular carbon fiber
Progress reducing CO2 emissions and advancing circularity is demonstrated through novel filament yarn short fiber carbon fiber options, as well as the launch of a digital product passport.
Tenax Next R2S 513 6-millimeter short carbon fiber. Source | Teijin Carbon
Teijin Carbon (Wuppertal, Germany), a producer of carbon fibers and carbon fiber-based materials, is launching a new brand, Tenax Next, to represent its next-generation carbon fiber products. These feature circular feedstock with significantly reduced carbon footprint while maintaining the strength, durability and performance of traditional Tenax carbon fiber products.
Tenax Next materials are available to industries ranging from aerospace and automotive to pressure vessels and high-quality industrial applications.
“We’ve developed a new generation of materials that meet the growing demand for sustainable solutions,” says Jörg Friedrich, CTO of Teijin Carbon Europe. “And this is just the beginning.”
Along with the brand launch, the company has released two products under the Tenax Next name: Tenax Next HTS45 E23 24K filament yarn and Tenax Next R2S 513.
Tenax Next HTS45 E23 24K is based on Teijin’s high tenacity (HTS) carbon fiber type, known for its optimal processability, heritage and credibility in industrial and aerospace markets. With a tensile strength of more than 4,800 MPa and a modulus of 240 GPa, Tenax Next HTS45 E23 24K provides a high-performance alternative with a 35% reduction in COâ‚‚ emissions compared to existing solutions.
Teijin notes another milestone with this product: The carbon fiber filament yarn is produced using renewable energy, with the option of sustainable raw materials. Additionally, the company is implementing new process technologies to further mitigate environmental impact.
The other product, Tenax NextTM R2S 513, is a 6-millimeter short carbon fiber in rice-shaped form for reinforcing thermoplastic compounds. It is made from repurposed loose fiber materials to achieve environmentally friendly and resource-efficient production. Circular short carbon fiber is suitable for numerous applications across various industries, including sport goods, electronics and automotive vehicles/components.
According to Teijin Carbon, Tenax Next R2S 315 short carbon fiber is targeting several groups, offering customized advantages to each:
- Manufacturers producing or distributing end products made with fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) can now offer their customers high performance and sustainability. Thanks to full traceability, the lifecycle of the material can be transparently communicated using a digital product passport (DPP), a strong selling point in an increasingly eco-conscious consumer market.
- Component manufacturers and moldmakers working with FRP can benefit from the stability and traceability of the retrieved carbon fiber material, enabling long-term planning, security and reliable quality assurance. The product’s reduced COâ‚‚ footprint also provides an advantage where an environmental product declaration is required.
- Compounders producing thermoplastic compound pellets from fiber-reinforced commodity plastics and thermoplastics can rely on a stable supply of raw materials and consistent pricing. This reduces procurement risks and strengthens the company’s environmentally friendly profile.
Teijin Carbon has established its carbon fiber production and supply system based on ISCC Plus certification. For example, the company uses various chemical building blocks to produce polyacrylonitrile. While conventional and sustainable raw materials can be purchased on the global market, in the future Teijin Carbon intends to purchase more materials obtained through recycling or directly from bio-based sources.
Teijin has also launched its first digital product passport (DPP), a datasheet that, accessed via QR code, ensures full transparency and traceability throughout the entire product life cycle. It provides detailed information about the product’s origins, materials and sustainability, from production to end of life.
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