Composites Evolution launches a range of natural fibre prepregs for motorsport

Composites Evolution has introduced a range of flax-reinforced epoxy prepregs to meet demand from the motorsport sector.

To reduce environmental impact, there is increasing interest across several motorsport series in the use of natural fibre composites for parts such as aerodynamic devices and doors. GT4 has been leading the way with recent models from the likes of Porsche and Toyota featuring natural-fibre body parts.

Composites Evolution has brought together its extensive expertise in high-performance flax reinforcements with its Evopreg range of epoxy prepregs to offer motorsport customers a proven and flexible range of material and design options. The new flax-epoxy prepreg products include a lightweight woven surface ply (100 g/m², 2×2 twill), a medium weight woven ply (300 g/m², 2×2 twill) and a 150 g/m² unidirectional ply. Technical data for these materials are now available for download on the Composites Evolution website. Other prepregs, including biaxials and in fabric weights of up to 700 g/m², are available on request.

To assist customers in introducing flax-reinforced composites into their designs, Composites Evolution’s Technical Support Team are available. They can offer advice on getting the best out of flax-reinforced Evopreg materials, including aspects such as cutting, lay-up, curing and on-track durability.

Using materials supplied by Composites Evolution, KW Special Projects has applied their expertise in component manufacturing to produce the GT rear wing component shown in the attached photograph. To demonstrate the use of flax prepregs alongside other high-performance materials, half the wing has been produced in flax-epoxy and half in carbon-epoxy.

Brendon Weager, Composites Evolution’s Technical Director, commented “No other prepreg supplier has the depth of flax knowledge that resides within Composites Evolution. We’re ideally positioned to help motorsport customers introduce natural fibre materials into their cars and bikes.”

Composites Evolution will be showcasing their flax prepreg developments, including the wing component from KW Special Projects, at the “Composites in Motorsport” event at the Williams F1 Conference Centre in Oxford, UK on 22nd October 2019, and at the Advanced Engineering Show at the NEC in Birmingham on 30th – 31st October 2019 (stand P20).

Photo courtesy of KW Special Projects Ltd.

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