Hive Composites, a leader in advanced materials design, prototyping and testing, has announced a breakthrough in thermoplastic composites following a two-year Innovate UK-funded research project targeting wind turbine blade applications.

With more than 30 years of expertise in thermoplastics, Gerry Boyce and the Hive Composites team have long recognised the benefits of the material, including recyclability and superior mechanical properties. However, the high viscosity of molten thermoplastics has traditionally limited fibre impregnation without high-pressure processing, restricting applications to smaller parts with costly tooling.

The research focused on creating a thermoplastic polymer that would combine low viscosity for fibre infusion, high mechanical performance, recyclability, compatibility with conventional thermoset processing, and cost parity with epoxy resins.

The result is MET-OL , a proprietary low molecular weight form of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) developed using a novel chemical process. Unlike conventional PBT, which melts at 235 C and requires high-pressure moulding, MET-OL melts at just 140 C into a highly flowable liquid capable of rapid fabric infusion. Once in the mould, the material is catalytically converted back into high molecular weight PBT, delivering the strength, thermal stability and chemical resistance of its original form.

MET-OL is supplied as a powder via Hive s spin-off company, Metol Ltd. Comparative testing has shown improved mechanical performance over epoxy and polyester resins, while Loughborough University s preliminary Life Cycle Assessment highlights potential sustainability advantages, particularly through end-of-life recyclability into high-value applications.

This innovation could transform manufacturing in sectors ranging from renewable energy and aerospace to automotive, enabling larger-scale thermoplastic composite structures with lower production costs and enhanced circularity.

Source: hivecomposites.com