About TAFNEX^™

TAFNEX^™ is a unidirectional tape (UD tape) made from a carbon fiber and polypropylene (thermoplastic resin) composite.

Concept
Background
Quality
Eco/Environment

TAFNEX^™ is a unidirectional tape (UD tape) made from a carbon fiber and polypropylene (PP) composite. It is lightweight and highly rigid with good moldability, and since the matrix resin is made of PP, it can easily be integrally molded with PP. The material has an extremely high affinity with PP for applications such as creating an integrated piece for insert injection molding or an integrated foamed PP sandwich. TAFNEX^™ is designed to be adapted for use in a range of applications in the auto, industrial and consumer sectors. Moving forward, Mitsui Chemicals will not only pursue the development of material specifications but will also work to research and propose processing and construction methods for carbon fiber-reinforced materials through coordination with Group companies, including ARRK Corporation and Kyowa Industrial. Mitsui Chemicals will respond to customer needs with total solutions to ensure that TAFNEX^™ can be more effectively utilized.
Mitsui Chemicals maintains some of the world's leading technologies for olefin modification and has made available a wide range of modified olefins. Among these, polypropylene (PP) is one of the core technologies of Mitsui Chemicals. PP is a material with excellent lightness, water resistance and chemical resistance, and by combining it with the light, hard and strong properties of carbon fiber, Mitsui Chemicals expected that new needs would arise in the future and began development in 2014 as a result. By designing a carbon fiber sizing agent (developed in-house), a high impregnation and interfacial adhesion with PP was achieved.
The material has been designed so that PP can be impregnated into carbon fiber in a stable and swift manner over a 600mm sheet width. Efforts have also been made to ensure the continuation of safe and stable production by clearly specifying equipment check points.
PP is a thermoplastic material and can be easily recycled by heating and melting. TAFNEX^™, which is made from a continuous fiber structure, can be reused as a discontinuous long fiber-reinforced PP. Mitsui Chemicals is continually pursuing research and development into social issues.

Advantage of TAFNEX™

High Strength

High Design

Composite with PP

UD Processing solutions
&Target Applications
Development Process
UD processing example

Backdoor
Cargo Compartment
Bonnet Hood
Roof
Sidedoor
Bumper
Parts

Suitcase
Shoes/Sole
Wheelchair
Care Assistance
Robot
Orthosis
Drone
Bicycle Parts

We respond to client needs with total solutions.

UD sheets can be processed into various shapes

Recommended process

- Over molding ［Press + Injection］ -

Over molding ［Press + Injection］(CFRTP : TAFNEX™)

Over molding process can integrate heat press process and injection molding process without adhesive.
High speed transportability is most important for pre-heating process.

Check here for details of TAFNEX^™ products

Transition/History

2014: Start of development of a carbon fiber-reinforced propylene material Development of CAE technologies for carbon fiber-reinforced composite material Start of joint development with Formosa Plastics Corporation
2016: Development of carbon fiber-reinforced composite material processing technologies (ICC joint research)
2017: Long-term durability assessment of carbon fiber-reinforced composite material (ICC joint research) Installation of TAFNEX^™ production equipment (at Mitsui Chemicals Nagoya Works)
2018: Start of TAFNEX^™ production line operation
2019: ARRK Corporation joins MCI Group and strengthens cooperation on CAE / processing / construction method development (*In 2014, Kyowa Industrial joined the MCI Group and began coordination on mold development.)
2020: Completion of TAFNEX^™-based brand development
2021: Launch of the brand website

Exhibition

Appearances of TAFNEX^™ at exhibitions

2017: JEC 2017, Automotive Engineering Exposition China Composite, etc.
2018: JEC 2018, Automotive Engineering Exposition, SAMPE 2018, JEC ASIA 2018, China Composite, ITHEC 2018, etc.
2019: JEC 2019, Automotive Engineering Exposition, SAMPE 2019, China Composite, Composites Europe 2019, etc.
2020: JEC SUMMIT SPORTS & HEALTH(Online)、 China Composite、 JEC KOREA2020
2021: Automotive Engineering Exposition (online) SAMPE 2022
2022: JEC 2022(May) Automotive Engineering Exposition (May/Jun) SAMPE 2022(Oct) Designart Tokyo 2022
2023: JEC 2023(Apr) Japan Drone2023(Jun) SAMPE 2023(Nov)
2024: JEC 2024(Mar) Japan Drone 2024(Jun)

About TAFNEX™

Advantage / Case studies