Toray Cetex TC1225 low-melt PAEK composite material

Toray Cetex TC1225 is a low-melt PAEK composite material from Toray Advanced Composites, a thermoplastic prepreg and laminate system for primary and secondary aircraft structures. The matrix is a semi-crystalline low-melt polyaryletherketone (PAEK) resin, reinforced with continuous fibre, and the material belongs to the family of high-performance thermoplastic composites used in aerospace.

The product is supplied as unidirectional (UD) tape, as fabric prepreg and as reinforced thermoplastic laminates (RTLs) of different thicknesses. Laminates can be fitted with lightning strike protection, and carbon-reinforced laminates can have a thin glass top layer to protect a partly metallic assembly against galvanic corrosion. Glass scrim can also be used in structures built from UD tape. These formats suit load-bearing parts of unmanned aircraft and eVTOL airframes, such as brackets, ribs, fuselage frames and fairings.

The main characteristic is processability. The low melt viscosity allows a processing temperature up to 60 degrees C (140 degrees F) below that of other PAEK-family composites, which shortens cycle times and reduces energy consumption. The resin-rich surface suits press consolidation, stamp forming, automated tape laying (ATL), automated fibre placement (AFP), continuous compression moulding, welding, overmoulding and autoclave cure. The material also performs well in out-of-autoclave vacuum-bag-only processing, which lowers tooling and equipment cost for large parts. The glass transition temperature of the resin is 147 degrees C.

The composite combines good mechanical performance, also at elevated temperature, with high toughness shown by compression-after-impact strength and fracture toughness values. Moisture absorption is very low, so properties are retained in hot and wet conditions, and resistance to chemicals and solvents is high. Fire, smoke and toxicity performance is rated excellent by the maker, and the material has an indefinite shelf life when stored at ambient temperature, so no freezer storage is needed.

For integration, TC1225 can be overmoulded with neat or short-fibre reinforced PEEK, which gives a strong bond and allows ribs, bosses and fixtures to be added by injection moulding to a continuous-fibre part. Welding allows joining without fasteners. Within the Cetex range it sits beside TC1200 (PEEK), TC1100 (PPS) and TC1000 (PEI), so designers can choose the resin by temperature, toughness and cost requirements.

Typical applications are aerospace and advanced air mobility structures, where thermoplastic composites replace metal or thermoset parts to reduce mass and enable automated production. Design allowables and processing windows should be taken from Toray's data sheets for the chosen format.