For years, lightweight construction has been a growth market across all industry sectors. This is particularly apparent in all disciplines of mobility, ranging from the private car to the space rocket. After all, when the weight is reduced, costs for fuel or electricity are also lowered. Heat-resistant composites, also known as thermoset or fibrous composite materials, are an important driver in the field of lightweight construction. Base substances, such as polyester and epoxy resins, obtain their high-quality properties partly thanks to the right additives. These are not only contained in the composite itself, but also in the coatings used, for example. “BTC is in tune with the needs of our composite producers. We can therefore offer a variety of formulation solutions for the manufacturing of matrices and components,” comments Denis Falaize, European Coordinator Composites Industry at BTC.
On the one hand, the variety of possible applications makes the materials more effective. “However, in many cases, the speciality chemicals from BTC also help customers adhere to regulatory requirements, such as those for environmental protection,” says D.Falaize. There is a broad spectrum of possible additives.
Our additive solutions for composites cover all relevant materials:
Denis Falaize has been working for BTC for almost ten years. He works with pigments, resins and additives on a daily basis. These topics were also the focus during his master’s degree course in chemical engineering. His passion for chemical processes and their creative combinations was what motivated him to pursue a career in this area: “It’s all about achieving the desired effect from a combination of raw materials and additives – which is always an interesting challenge.” In his current role, he particularly enjoys being able to advise customers in a solution-oriented manner: “It’s great when I can pass on my knowledge from my job and from university. And of course I am always learning new things in our daily technical discussions.”
You can find more information on our range of speciality chemicals for composites and contact your local BTC contact partner directly using the Solution Finder.