Product Characteristics Typical Application Qualification Epoxy Prepregs (Structural)   M9 and M10 resin systems on unidirectional glass fibers, and woven or multiaxial glass or aramid fabrics Good environmental resistance Flexible processing Good fatigue resistance Very long outlife at room temperature Hull and structural components DNV approval in progress Phenolic Prepregs (Non-structural) 250C resin system on woven glass fabric Good FST properties Ceilings, interior walls and furnishing   250CB resin system on woven glass fabric Good FST properties Improved surface finish Fabrics   Multiaxial glass and carbon Hull and structural components     Honeycombs ACG (Aluminum core) Good environmental resistance Superstructure, decks, bulkheads, interior construction and furnishing DNV approved as non-combustible. Type approval on specific grades Non-metallic core High corrosion resistance Dielectric properties Radomes Adhesives Redux® 609 Excellent fatigue resistance Oil and engineering solvent resistant Metal to metal bonding applications   Redux® 610 Excellent environmental resistance Composite to core bonding applications Redux® 206NA/Redux® 212NA Core splicing, gap filling Interior construction and furnishings Redux® 140 Primer Good protection properties Corrosion inhibiting, chromate free Metal to metal bonding

Product Range for Performance Boats: An Unparalleled Product Range

Hexcel Composites manufactures an unrivaled range of high performance composite materials, which have been specially developed to meet the challenges facing boat designers. In addition to an extensive range of “off the shelf” reinforcement fabrics, honeycombs and adhesives, Hexcel also customizes products in its development labs to meet special requirements such as low tack, high tack, low cure temperature and optimum surface finish.

We support our customers at every stage, by advising on materials selection and processing methods, training operators who are unfamiliar with composites technology, and providing technical support whenever required.

Hexcel is the only composites supplier with in-house manufacture of carbon fiber, which we weave into a variety of reinforcements and impregnate with formulated resins to form Prepregs.

Carbon Fiber
Hexcel’s high modulus carbon fiber is the most frequently selected fiber for performance boats. It provides excellent stiffness and strength.

Reinforcement Fabrics
Hexcel has extensive in-house weaving capabilities for the manufacture of unidirectional reinforcements, tapes and woven fabrics in glass, carbon, aramid and hybrid fibers
 
Prepregs
Prepreg is the material of choice for those requiring
cost-effective, easy to manufacture components with high mechanical properties. Prepregs are combinations of formulated resin systems and fiber reinforcements, which are cured at temperature while under vacuum. Hexcel pioneered the development of Prepregs for the aircraft industry in the 1970’s and has now formulated a range of easy to process low temperature curing Prepregs to meet the equally demanding requirements of performance boat builders.

M10 is Hexcel’s most frequently selected Prepreg resin system for marine applications, supplied with a wide range of reinforcements. M10 cures at 85ºC and has a long shelf life of 60 days at room temperature. M10 Prepregs are particularly easy to handle and lay up.

A new addition to the range is M34, Hexcel’s 75ºC curing Prepreg, which is ideal for pvc and metallic honeycomb sandwich structures.

HexWeb® Honeycombs
Hexcel has manufactured this most effective lightweight structural core material for over 50 years. Today we are the world’s largest manufacturer of honeycomb in a wide range of materials including Aluminum, Aramid paper (Nomex®), glass fiber and speciality materials. Aramid honeycomb is widely used as a core material for composite sandwich constructions. It is useful for adding structural stiffness, without adding weight.