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A Comparison of the Environmental Attributes of Thermoplastic vs. Thermoset Composites

From Ticona Engineering Polymers

The demand for composite materials in aerospace is stronger than ever, due mainly to the
savings in fuel cost for lightweight structures. The vast majority of composites used in aerospace
are thermoset based. Increased usage of continuous reinforced thermoplastic composites for
aerospace are demonstrating that the environmental advantages of thermoplastic vs.. thermoset
are substantial. These advantages include a substantially reduced energy usage for processing,
reduced scrap in processing, reduced waste stream, improved recyclability, and reduced use of
volatile organic compounds. Furthermore, composites based on thermoplastic matrix resins are
recognized for the improved toughness they offer. Due to this inherent advantage, current
developments show promise for designing further weight reduction over conventional materials.
A thin fuselage for a single aisle aircraft made with thermoplastic composite may potentially
offer improved toughness and substantial weight savings as compared to a thermoset counterpart.

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