AdvAnced composites interactive material selector Guide - TenCate

AdvAnced composites 

interactive material selector Guide 

Aircraft 

space & satellite 

Radomes 

interiors 

High temperature 

design & parts 

industrial 

Protective Fabrics 

Outdoor Fabrics 

Advanced Composites 

Advanced Armour 

Geosynthetics 

Industrial Fabrics 

Grass 

pregregs 

thermoplastic fabrics & unitapes 

thermoplastic laminates 

Adhesives 

Liquid resins 

syntactic films 

molding compounds


TenCate Current Applications and Materials 

commercial Aircraft – Applications include primary and 

secondary structures such as leading edges, keel beams, ribs 

and engine pylons. 

• TenCate Cetex ® thermoplastic prepregs and laminates 

based upon high temperature, solvent resistant PPS, PEEK, 

PEI and PEKK resins. 

interiors – In production for interior side panels, luggage 

bins, flooring and components. 

• TenCate Cetex ® and TenCate Cetex ® System3 PEI-based 

low FST and OSU thermoplastic laminates and PEI 

honeycomb core. 

satellites and space Antennas – TenCate materials are found 

on primary satellite structures, solar arrays, antennas and 

dimensionally stable structures. 

• Low CTE and low moisture uptake cyanate ester and epoxy 

prepregs utilizing high modulus carbon, quartz and aramid 

fibers. 

Radomes – Electrically pure prepregs for military aircraft, 

missile and commercial applications. 

• Low dielectric, low loss prepregs and adhesives 

2 

ADVANCED COMPOSITES | Selector guide 

out of Autoclave/structural – Applications include primary 

and secondary structures including floor beams,engine 

nacelles and structural panels. 

• TenCate’s low void structural thermoplastic unitapes and 

vacuum bag cure thermoset prepregs enable out of 

autoclave and automated tape laying processes. 

Aerospace molded parts – Ranging from molded hydraulic 

clamps to helicopter inserts to missile fins. 

• SMC and BMC glass and carbon filled compression 

molded lightweight parts. Design, tooling and fabrication 

capabilities – molding ideas into reality. 

General Aviation & UAv’s – Materials used in primary and 

secondary structures on leading aircraft. 

• BT250E-1 and TC250 out of autoclave prepregs.

tABLe oF contents 

tencate profile 4 - 7 

Aircraft 8 - 10 

space & satellite 11 - 14 

Radomes 15 - 18 

interiors 19 - 20 

design & part services 21 - 23 

High temperature 24 - 25 

industrial 26 - 27 

Recent product introductions 28 

product listing 29-34 

ADVANCED COMPOSITES | Selector guide 3

compAnY pRoFiLe 

TenCate 

TenCate is a leading supplier of specialty materials ranging 

from ballistic armor protection to advanced composites to 

geosynthetics. TenCate, a company with a rich 300+ year 

history, employs over 3,500 personnel in 15 countries. All 

groups focus heavily on innovation and on delivering value 

through materials technology. 

ten cate Advanced composites 

Ten Cate Advanced Composites (TCAC) operates two prepreg 

facilities in the United States and one in The Netherlands. 

Our aerospace facilities are approved with ISO9001:2000 

and AS9100:2004 Rev B approvals. The corporate office for 

TCAC-USA along with manufacturing is located in Morgan 

Hill, CA which is close to our Fairfield, CA prepreg facilities. 

The European corporate office and manufacturing is located 

in Nijverdal, The Netherlands. Each of these facilities has full 

capability for the production of high performance materials. 

Both sites in the U.S. maintain carbon-free areas for the 

production of low-dielectric materials used in radomes and 

communication composite structure. 

4 


oUR peopLe 

TenCate People 

Our success is in our people. The majority of our technical 

personnel have aerospace industry experience. 

The advantage to our customers is having experience that 

aligns with their needs. 

TenCate has a long history of contributions in the aerospace 

industry. TenCate is the leading thermoplastic prepreg 

supplier on each A350 and A380. We are qualified and used on 

Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft, from exterior structural 

assemblies to interiors. 

Our mission is to be the most responsive, technology 

driven, global prepreg supplier with outstanding technical 

and commercial customer support, always exceeding in 

customer’s technology, quality and service expectations. 

Our focus on solutions and material systems has proven 

invaluable in key market segments such as satellites, 

radomes, UAV’s and general aviation. We have the most 

modern prepreg equipment in the world, and combine this 

with responsive customer support and leading product 

technologies. 

mAnUFActURinG 

Manufacturing 

TenCate maintains two aerospace qualified manufacturing 

sites for prepregs and resin production. We have the 

capability to manufacture 50 inches (127 cm) wide unitapes 

and up to 64 inches (163 cm) fabric prepregs. Nijverdal 

manufacturing includes the capacity to provide thermoplastic 

prepreg fabrics up to 50 inches (127 cm) wide and multi-ply 

flat thermoplastic laminates up to 4 feet by 12 feet 

(1220 mm x 3660 mm). 

• Full computer controlled process parameters and feedback. 

• Precision filming and precision prepregging capability. 

• Separate carbon-free area with positive ventilation for 

glass, quartz and electronic products. 

6 


prepreg technology 

TCAC has expertise and experience in both thermoset and 

thermoplastic prepregs. Our thermoset product lines are 

based upon cyanate esters, BMI’s, polyimides and epoxy 

resins serving high end aerospace applications. 

TCAC utilizes high precision film prepregging capability for the 

manufacture of tightly controlled resin-content thermoset 

prepregs. As the aerospace industry shifts to highly 

automated tape laying and fiber placement, resin content and 

fiber areal weight control becomes critical to enable these 

advanced manufacturing processes. 

Recent investments 

Over the last several years, TenCate has made significant 

investments in both capabilities and capacity to serve 

the growing composite usage in aerospace. This ensures 

TenCate’s leading position in aerospace grade thermoplastic 

advanced materials. 

Bulk molding compounds and special Resin technology 

TenCate acquired YLA, Inc. and CCS Composites. YLA, Inc. 

provides specialty resin technology with leading positions 

in satellite and high temperature prepregs. CCS Composites 

produces both bulk molding compounds with high modulus 

carbon and glass fiber. Also part design and fabrication 

services are offered. Composite compression molded 

parts are in demand as composites move into fuselage and 

wings, and many of the smaller complex metal parts shift to 

composites for weight reduction and resistance to galvanic 

corrosion. Our techniques provide performance with long fiber 

molding materials that enable breakthrough applications. 

AiRcRAFt 

Thermoplastic and Epoxy Prepregs 

TenCate has the most flight experience with out of autoclave 

prepregs. Tencate’s out of autoclave epoxy prepregs are 

used to manufacture composite fuselages, wings and control 

surfaces. TenCate’s precision filming capability and resin 

chemistry allows cost effective out of autoclave vacuum bag 

processing to improve part throughput and productivity. 

TenCate’s Cetex ® thermoplastic composites have been used 

for primary, secondary and tertiary structures for many years, 

and are qualified at major aircraft manufacturers. 

8 


Prepregs of TenCate are used in general aviation, 

commercial and military aircraft, and helicopter 

construction. 

TenCate participates in the development of next 

generation composite aircraft. 

mAteRiAL seLectoR GUide: AiRcRAFt 

prepregs 

product 

name 

Resin type tg 

cure temp/ 

cure time 

Bt250e-1 Epoxy 257°F/125°c • 60 minutes at 250°F/121°C 

eX-1548 Epoxy 262°F/128°c 

Rs-8Ht BMI 590°F/310°c 

Rs-9d Cyanate Ester 

tc250 Epoxy 

390°F/199°c 

or 700°F / 

371°c with 

post cure 

284°F/140°c 

or 374°F / 

190°c with 

post cure 

• 240 minutes at 200°F/93°C, or 

30 minutes at 235°F/113°C or 

15 minutes at 250°F/121°C 

• 120 minutes at 400°F/204°C, 

post cure at 360 minutes at 

482°F/250°C 

• 120 minutes at 380°F/193°C 

Optional post cure of 240 

minutes at 600°F/316°C 

• 60 minutes at 190°F/88°C, 

followed by 120 minutes 

at 265°F/130°C.Optional 

post cure of 60 minutes at 

350°F/177°C for higher Tg 

tc350 Epoxy 397°F/203°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 


description 

• BT250E-1 is a good moderate service prepreg 

• Self adhesive to core 

• Good toughness 

• MIL-R-9300 qualified 

• EX-1548 is a quick cure epoxy with extreme 

toughness 

• RS-8HT provides excellent elevated temperature 

properties with good toughness and moisture 

resistance 

• Also available as an RTM resin 

• Very high temperature properties. Controlled flow 

with long out time. 

• TC250 is TenCate's latest 250°F/121°C service 

prepreg now in NCAMP qualification. It is designed 

for vacuum bag cure or autoclave 

• Good surfacing qualities 

• Good toughness 

• Self adhesive to core capability 

• TC350 is TenCate's latest 350°F/177°C service 

prepreg. It is a toughened high temperature prepreg 

• Low moisture absorption 

• Good hot/wet performance 

• Ideal for autoclave or press cure 

• TenCate's newest low FST prepreg for interiors, meets 

12 second vertical burn 

thermoplastic Fabrics, Laminates & Unitapes 

product 

name 

tencate 

cetex ® 

pps RtL 

tencate 

cetex ® 

thermo-Lite 

tc1100 pps 

tencate 

cetex ® 

thermo-Lite 

pei 

tencate 

cetex ® 

thermo-Lite 

tc1200 peeK 

Film Adhesives 

TenCate Cetex ® RTL - Reinforced Thermoplastic Laminate, TenCate Cetex ® Thermo-Lite - Represents TenCate's thermoplastic unitapes 

10 

Resin type tg 

Polyphenylene 

Sulfide (PPS) 

Polyphenylene 

Sulfide (PPS) 

Polyetherimide 

(PEI) 

Polyetheretherketone 

(PEEK) 

BF508 Epoxy 186°F/86°c 


cure temp/ 

cure time 

194°F/90°c • Process temp - 625°F/330°C 




BF522 Epoxy 365°F/185°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

BF548 Epoxy 262°F/128°c 

tc205 Epoxy 275°F/135°c 

Rtm Resin 

description 

® • TenCate Cetex PPS either on glass or carbon exhibits 

moderate temperature capability and features: 

• High impact resistance 

• Low flammability 

• Ideal for leading edges, structural aircraft parts 

including interior beams, floor panels 

® • TenCate Cetex Thermo-Lite represents thermoplastic 

unitapes either glass, carbon or aramid with PPS resin 

® • TenCate Cetex Thermo-Lite represents thermoplastic 

unitapes either glass, carbon or aramid with PEI resin 

® • TenCate Cetex Thermo-Lite TC1200 represents 

thermoplastic unitapes either glass, carbon or aramid 

with PEEK resin 

• 180 minutes at 180°F/82°C or 

60 minutes at 200°F/93°C, or 

• BF508 is a toughened 180°F/82°C to 200°F/93°C 

service temperature resin film adhesive 

15-20 minutes at 250°F/121°C • Available in both supported and unsupported form 

• 240 minutes at 180°F/82°C or 

30 minutes at 235°F/113°C, or 


• 30-60 minutes at 190°F/88°C, 

followed by 120 minutes at 

265°F/130°C. 

• BF522 is a toughened epoxy. Features low dielectric 

and low moisture absorption. 

• BF548 is a quick cure resin film adhesive, with high 

toughness and strength 

Key Resin 

characteristics 

Neat Resin Properties 

Specific Gravity 1.35g/cc 

Elongation at Yield - 3% 

Thermal Conductivity - 0.19 W/m-K° 

Moisture absorption of 0.02% 

See data sheet for details. 



21 day shelf life at 77°F/25°C 

Dielectric Constant 2.8 at 10Ghz, 

Loss Tangent 0.008 at 10 Ghz 

Moisture Absorption 1% after 

100 hour water boil 

30 day shelf life at 77°F/25°C 

Dielectric Constant 3.0 at 10 Ghz, 

Loss Tangent 0.017 at 10 Ghz 

• Compatible toughened resin film for TC250 


Rs-50 Epoxy 397°F/203°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C • Toughened epoxy resin for structural applications 

spAce & sAteLLite 

High reliability strucural materials 

TenCate materials are widely used on satellite and space 

structures and antennae as a result of their performance 

characteristics and successful flight history. TenCate 

materials have been used on almost every satellite program in 

the Western world. 

The rigors of space require that prepregs and related 

materials must withstand exposure to extreme temperature 

cycling and radiation while resisting micro cracking and 

outgassing. TenCate materials have been approved for 

satellite usage and when combined with ultra high modulus 

fibers and specialty weaves, make the strongest and lightest 

weight structures. 

TenCate prepregs, resins, syntactics and film adhesives are 

primarily used on bus structure, solar panels, reflectors and a 

variety of booms, tubes and trusses. TenCate’s line of cyanate 

ester prepregs provide the ultimate performance, while our 

epoxy products meet the requirements for space flight while 

providing a more cost effective alternative to cyanate ester 

materials 

mAteRiAL seLectoR GUide: spAce/sAteLLite 

prepregs 

product 

name 

Btcy-1 

Btcy-1A 

eX-1515 

Rs-3 

& 

Rs-3c 

Rs-9d 

Rs-12B 

12 

Resin 

type 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

tg 

374°F/190°c or 

461°F/238°c 

with post cure 

365°F/ 185°c or 

400°F/204°c 


274°F/134°c or 

360°F/182°c 


390°F/199°c or 

490°F/254°c 


390°F/199°c or 

700°F/371°c 


293°F/190°c or 

322°F/161°c 



cure temp/ 

cure time 

• 90 minutes at 350°F/177°C 



• 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 



• 180 min at 250°F/121°C 

Optional post cure 2 hrs at 

350°F/177°C for final Tg 

• 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 



• 120 minutes at 380°F/193°C 



• 300 minutes at 265°F/129°C 



description 

• Excellent structural properties with low moisture 

absorption and good resistance to galvonic corrosion 

• Improved toughness version of BTCy-1, very low void even 

with low pressure cures 

• Optimal mechanicals, low microcracking, high radiation 

resistance and low moisture absorption. High level of cure 

at 250°F/121°C. High Tg from post cure at 350°F/177°C. 

• Good balance of toughness and high temperature 

performance with good modulus retention after radiation 

exposure 

• Features RS-3C a controlled flow version for vacuum bag/ 

oven cure and RS-3M, a very low flow autoclave version 

• Very high temperature properties. Controlled flow with 

long out time. 

• A low tack prepreg with low cure shrinkage, ability to 

cure at 265°F, low moisture absorption, excellent modulus 

retention after radiation. 

prepregs 

product 

name 

Resin 

type 

Rs - 17B Epoxy 

tg 

314°F/172°c or 

390°F/199°c 


cure temp/ 

cure time 

• 120 minutes at 275°F/135°C 



Rs - 36 Epoxy 379°F/193°c • 90 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

tc410 


eX-1516 

eX-1543 

Rs-4A 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

250°F/121°c 

• 3 hours at 250°F/121°C 

Optional post cure at 

350°F/177°C 

250°F/121°c • 300 minutes at 250°F/121°C 

405°F/207°c 


• 60-90 minutes at 

350°F/175°C Optional 

postcure of 120 minutes at 

400°F/204°C 


description 

• Very low moisture absorption with balanced mechanical, 

toughness and modulus. 

Key Resin 


Outgassing Data 

• TML: 0.71%, CVCM: 0.00%, 

WVR: 0.34% 

• Epoxy with excellent properties and lower cost than 


cyanate esters, vacuum processible, and low moisture 

absorption. 

• TML: 0.63%, CVCM 0.00% 

• Low stress free cure temperature capable 

• Resin is low in moisture sensitiveity 


• Passes and exceeds space requirements for outgassing 

• TML: 0.29%, CVCM 0.01% 

• Low CTE and CME 

WVR: 0.17% 

• Extremely low moisture absorption. Resin is asymptotic • CME: 1205 ppm/% m 

after 200 days with less than 0.35% moisture absorption in 

a 75% RH environment. 

• Toughened cyanate ester with low cure temperature 

• Features low cure shrinkage 

• Low outgassing, good resistance to microcracking and 

resistance to environmental and radiation exposure 

Compatible resin film adhesive with: 

• Low cure shrinkage 


• Low outgassing and resistance to cyclic microcracking 

• Low tack version, with low cure shrinkage 

• Good balance of toughness and mechanical strength 

• Low moisture absorption, low microcracking, reticulatable 

for lightweight core bonding 

paste Adhesives 

eX-1502-1 

eX-1537 

eX-1537-1 

syntactic Films 

eX-1541 

sF-5 

Rtm Resins 

eX-1510 

eX-1545 

Rs-16 

14 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 



• Two part paste adhesive, good mechanical performance. 

Ideal for cryogenic and space applications. 

See data sheet for properties. 

405°F/207°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C • Thixotropic two part paste adhesive 


405°F/207°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C • Low viscosity unfilled version of EX-1537 


350°F/177°c 

349°F/176°c 


350°F/177°C 

• 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 




345°F/173°c 

332°F/167°c 

• 90 minutes at 350°F/177°C 


400°F/204°C 

• 120 minutes at 275°F/135°C 

followed by 120 minutes at 

300°F/150°C 

• One part syntactic paste available in four different 

densities: 11, 13, 17.5 and 24 pcf. Ideal to be used as a 

foam core. Low outgassing. 

• CTE - 7.4x10-6 in/in/ °F for 24 

pcf/0.38 g/cc 

• Syntactic film compatible with cyanate ester prepregs • 38 pcf density / 0.6 g/cc 

• Toughened resin system with very low 150 cps viscosity at 

77°F/25°C 

• Good mechanical properties and thermal properties 


• 24 hr pot life 

• Toughened resin system, two part system 

• Full properties with 350°F/177°C cure 

• Low viscosity of 140 cps at 110°F/43°C 

• Low cure temperature 

• Two part resin system 

RAdomes 

Competitive-edge components 

TenCate materials have been used for over twenty years on a 

variety of military and commercial aircraft radomes as well as 

in antenna structure. Materials used in radome construction 

must be free of carbon fiber constructive particles and are 

made at TenCate in specialized carbon-free areas. Most 

reinforcements are glass, quartz, polyethylene or aramidbased. 

Radomes are designed for transmission efficiency. TenCate 

materials used in radome construction possess low dielectric 

constants and low moisture absorption allowing increased 

efficiency from the antenna and exhibit low loss tangents 

offering very low resistance to electrical energy. 

mAteRiAL seLectoR GUide: RAdomes

prepregs 

product 

name 

Rs-9d 

Rs-12B 

Rs - 17B 

Resin 

type 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Modified 

Epoxy 

tg 

390°F/199°c or 

590°F/310°c 


293°F/190°c or 

322°F/161°c 


341°F/172°c or 

390°F/199°c 


cure temp/ 

cure time 

• 120 minutes at 380°F/193°C 



• 300 minutes at 265°F/129°C 



• 120 minutes at 275°F/135°C 



Rs - 36 Epoxy 379°F/193°c • 90 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

tc410 

Cyanate 

Ester 

250°F/121°c 

• 3 hours at 250°F/121°C 


350°F/177°C 

description 

• Controlled flow with long out time. Very high 

temperature properties 

• A moderate tack prepreg with low cure shrinkage, 

ability to cure at 265°F, low moisture absorption, 

excellent modulus retention after radiation 

• Very low moisture absorption with balanced 

mechanical, toughness and modulus 

• Epoxy with excellent properties and lower costs than 

cyanate esters, vacuum processible, and low moisture 

absorption 


product 

name 

eX-1516 

eX-1543 

Rs-4A 


eX-1502-1 

eX-1537 

eX-1537-1 

syntactics Films 

eX-1541 

sF-5 

Rtm Resins 

eX-1510 

eX-1545 

18 

Resin 

type 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

Cyanate 

Ester 

tg 


cure temp/ 

cure time 


500°F/260°c 


• 60-90 minutes at 350°F/175°C 

Optional postcure of 120 




description 

• Toughened cyanate ester with low cure temperature 

• Features low cure shrinkage 

• Low outgassing, good resistance to microcracking 

and resistance to severe environmental and radiation 

exposure 







• Low moisture absorption, low microcracking, 

reticulatable for lightweight core bonding 

• Two part paste adhesive, good mechanical 

performance. Ideal for cryogenic and space 

applications. 

Key Resin 


Resin Properties 

Dielectric Constant 2.6-2.7 at 10 GHz 

Loss Tangent 0.005-0.006 at 10 GHz 


Dielectric Constant 2.75 at 10 GHz 

Loss Tangent 0.003 at 10 GHz 





405°F/207°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C • Thixotropic two part paste adhesive 


405°F/207°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C • Low viscosity unfilled version of EX-1537 


350°F/177°c • 90-120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

349°F/176°c 

500°F/260°c 

345°F/173°c 

• 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 



• 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 



• 90 minutes at 350°F/177°C 


400°F/204°C 

• One part syntactic paste available in five different 

densities: 11, 13, 17.5, 20 and 24 pcf. Ideal to be used 

as a foam core. Low outgassing. 

CTE 7.4x10-6 in/in/°F 

• Syntactic film compatible with cyanate ester prepregs 38 pcf density / 0.61 g/cc 

• Toughened resin system with very low 150 cps viscosity 

at 77°F/25°C 



• Toughened resin system, two part system 

• Full properties with 350°F/177°C cure 

• Low viscosity of 140 cps at 110°F/43°C 

inteRioRs 

Fire retardant structural materials 

TenCate’s Cetex ® PPS and PEI based thermoplastic laminates 

and unitapes are used in a wide variety of aircraft structure 

ranging from floor panels, keel beams, luggage bins and 

galley’s. Thermoplastics offer very low FST properties, are 

easily formable and offer productivity savings with short 

mold cycles, high quality finishes off tool, excellent moisture 

resistance and durability. 

TenCate Cetex ® System3 panels represent honeycomb 

core stiffened panels based upon thermoplastic skins, 

thermoplastic honeycomb core and thermoplastic adhesives. 

These honeycomb stiffened panels are used for flooring, 

seating plynths, galley’s and luggage bins. They possess high 

strength, lightweight, formability with heat while being fire 

resistant for interior applications 

Lightweight option used on current commercial aircraft. 

Thermoplastic 

film adhesive 

TenCate Cetex ® PEI skins 

mAteRiAL seLectoR GUide: inteRioRs 

prepregs 

20 

product 

name 

tencate cetex ® 

pei RtL 


pps RtL 


thermo-Lite 

tc1200 peeK 


thermo-Lite 

pei 


thermo-Lite 

tc1100 pps 


system3 

Resin type tg 

Polyethermide 

(PEI) 

Polyphenylene 

Sulfide (PPS) 

Polyetheretherketone 

(PEEK) 


cure temp/ 

cure time 




Polyetherimide (PEI) 419°F/215°c • Process temp - 600°F/315°C 

Polyphenylene 

Sulfide (PPS) 


Polyetherimide (PEI) n/A • Mold temp - 300°F/150°C 


Ancillary materials 

pei 

thermoplastic core 

thermoplastic 

Adhesive 

PEI n/A N/A 

thermoform process ten cate tencate cetex ® system3 

Various n/A • Melt temp - 230°F/110°C 

description 

® • TenCate Cetex PEI either on glass or carbon 

exhibits high temperature capability and features: 

• Low flammability - V-0 

• Good impact toughness 

• Low moisture absorption of 1.25% 

• Qualified at Airbus and Boeing 

• Ideal for interior applications ranging from 

floor panels, to seat plyths, to luggage bins 

® • TenCate Cetex PPS either on glass or carbon 

exhibits moderate temperature capability and 

features: 

• High impact resistance 

• Low flammability 

• Very low moisture aborption of 0.02% 

• Ideal for leading edges, structural aircraft parts 

including interior beams and floor panels 

® • TenCate Cetex Thermo-Lite TC1200 

represents thermoplastic unitapes either 

glass, carbon or aramid with PEEK resin 

® • TenCate Cetex Thermo-Lite represents 

thermoplastic unitapes either glass, carbon or 

aramid with PEI resin 

® • TenCate Cetex Thermo-Lite represents 

thermoplastic unitapes either glass, carbon or 

aramid with PPS resin 

® • TenCate Cetex System3 represents a 

thermoplastic honeycomb core stiffened 

panel using: 

® • TenCate Cetex PEI thermoplastic skins, 

• PEI thermoplastic honeycomb core 

with a thermoplastic film adhesive 

• TenCate's newest low FST prepreg for 

interiors, meets 12 second vertical burn 

• Low FST 

• Available in several densities from 3-9 pcf 


• Lightweight 


Infra-red heating Cavity 

Rail Rail stop 

Tool 

Heater 

Insulator 

desiGn & pARt seRvices 

Lightweight composite part, design & fabrication 

TenCate has design tooling and fabrication expertise for 

compression molded parts. TenCate manufactures bulk 

molding compounds and specializes in high performance, 

tight tolerance parts with difficult geometries. TenCate has 

experience in designing parts for space, aircraft, thermal 

management and industrial/commercial applications. 

Compression molding is a common alternative for complex 

geometry structure that limits the use of laminate style 

composites. Typical reinforcements are carbon and glass 

chopped fiber. 

design Rules of thumb 

• Tolerance, ± 0.007 - 0.010 inches 

• Routine wall thickness , 0.05 inches 

• CTE values, 0-6 ppm/°F 

Satellite/Space 

Aircraft/Missiles/DOD 

Thermal management 

Recreational/Commercial 

Tensile Strength (Mpa) 

350 

275 

200 

135 

22 

Various Carbon Fiber Molding Compounds Strength vs Stiffness 

Enduron 

4685 - 1/2” 

TEM9015 

1/2” Fiber 

BMI-760 

1/2” 

Lytex 

4181 

TEM9016 

1/4” Fiber 

0 14 28 42 56 70 84 98 112 126 140 

Tensile Modulus (Gpa) 

TEMP9015 

MS-4F , CE MS-4A 

MS-4H 

AMC 

8590 

Lytex 4179 

1/2” Fiber 

Lytex 

4149 

BMI-760 

MS-1H, 

1/2” 


MS-1A 

MS-1D 

MS-2D 

“High K” 

TenCate Quantum Cytec 

manufacturing: Leading-edge manufacturing systems, 

customer driven R & D, extensive quality systems, and 

in-house testing set TenCate Advanced Composites apart. 

Quality: TenCate’s manufacturing processes and quality 

systems are certified to a broad range of military and 

commercial specifications. 

< all material data is based on 1’’ fiber length, 

unless stated otherwise 

mAteRiAL seLectoR GUide: desiGn & pARts

HiGH tempeRAtURe 

Thermally stable materials 

High temperature resins are used primarily in military missile 

and jet engine applications where high temperature thermal 

stability is required. TenCate offers a variety of special resins 

which exhibit high performance under extreme temperatures. 

24 


mAteRiAL seLectoR GUide: HiGH tempeRAtURe

indUstRiAL 

Lightweight structure, replacement of metals for high performance 

TenCate supplies prepregs materials for a variety of 

applications in oil & gas, infrastructure, medical and 

recreational products. Composites have become the material 

of choice as a result of their lightweight, competitive cost and 

unique performance attributes. 

26 


mAteRiAL seLectoR GUide: indUstRiAL

Recent pRodUct intRodUctions 

Innovation 

The aerospace industry depends upon innovation from 

suppliers for new materials and processes. TenCate’s 

customer focus on tailored systems, combined with our 

comprehensive lab and testing capabilities allow rapid 

development, customization and database development. 

TenCate’s broad experience in thermoset and thermoplastic 

resins, various composite fibers and part design add value for 

our customers. 

tc250: Toughened 250°F/121°C service epoxy prepreg system 

ideal for commercial, military and general aviation. 

• In NCAMP qualification 

• Ideal for fuselage and control surfaces, high hot/wet Tg 

of 257°F/125°C 

• Low void content under vacuum bag processing 

• Companion TC205 resin film for bonding 

tc350: High temperature toughened 350°F/177°C service 

epoxy prepreg system. 

• Low moisture uptake 

• Vacuum bag processible 

• Hot/wet Tg 320°F/160°C 

tc410: High performance cyanate ester resin system designed 

specifically for the latest generation of radomes and satellite 

structures. 

• Low stress free cure temperature capable 

• Resin is low in moisture sensitivity 

• Low dielectric and loss tangents for radome usage 

28 


tencate cetex ® thermo-Lite tc1200 peeK: PEEK-based 

unitapes in qualification now for aerospace applications. 

• Available in widths up to 12 inches 

• Ideal for automated tape laying applications 

• Low FST, structural material with low moisture uptake 

tencate cetex ® peeK RtL Laminates: PEEK-based fabric in 

glass or carbon. 

• Offered in laminate form or prepreg form 

• Laminates per customer specification 

• Easily thermoformed into desired shape 

tc210: High performance recreational prepreg. 

• Low cost recreational prepreg 

• Ideal for roll wrapping applications 

tc550: Fire retardant prepreg for interiors. 

• Low FST epoxy hybrid 

• Design to meet current interior regulations 

mAteRiAL seLectoR GUide: pRodUct ListinG

prepregs 

TenCate Cetex ® RTL - Reinforced Thermoplastic Laminate 

30 

product 

name 


thermo-Lite 

pei 


thermo-Lite 

tc1100 pps 


system3 

Resin type tg 


(PEI) 

Polyphenylene 

Sulfide (PPS) 


(PEI) 

eX-1505t Cyanate Ester 

eX-1515 Cyanate Ester 


cure temp/ 

cure time 



n/A • Mold temp - 300°F/150°C 

365°F/185°c or 

682°F/361°c 


274°F/134°c or 

360°F/182°c 


• 120 min at 350°F/177°C 



• 180 min at 250°F/121°C 

Optional post cure 2 hrs at 

350°F/177°C for final Tg 

eX-1522 Epoxy 396°F/202°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

eX-1531A Epoxy 266°F/130°c 

eX-1548 Epoxy 262°F/128°c 

• 15-20 minute cure at 

250°F/121°C 

description 

® • TenCate Cetex Thermo-Lite represents thermoplastic unitapes either glass, 

carbon or aramid with PEI resin 

® • TenCate Cetex Thermo-Lite represents thermoplastic unitapes either glass, 

carbon or aramid with PPS resin 

® • TenCate Cetex System3 represents a thermoplastic honeycomb core stiffened 

panel using: 

® • TenCate Cetex PEI thermoplastic skins 

• PEI thermoplastic honeycomb core with a thermoplastic film adhesive 

• High temperature prepreg system 

• Optimal mechanicals, low microcracking, high radiation resistance and low 

moisture aborption. High level of cure at 250°F/121°C. High Tg from post 

cure at 350°F/177°C. 

• Very low moisture absorption, toughened 

• Excellent mechanical properties 

• EX-1531A is focused for high production rate hardware. It features gel times 

and flow characteristics similar to 250°F/121°C cure epoxies. 

• 240 minutes at 200°F/93°C, 

or 30 minutes at 235°F/113°C 

or 15 minutes at 250°F/121°C 

• EX-1548 is a quick cure epoxy with extreme toughness 

prepregs 

product 

name 

Rs-3 

& 

Rs-3c 

Resin type tg 

Cyanate Ester 

390°F/199°c or 

490°F/254°c 


Rs-8Ht BMI 590°F/310°c 

Rs-9d Cyanate Ester 

Rs-12B Cyanate Ester 

Rs-17B 

Modified 

Epoxy 

390°F/199°c or 

626°F/330°c 


290°F/190°c or 

322°F/161°c 


341°F/172°c or 

335°F/168°c 


cure temp/ 

cure time 

• 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 



• 120 minutes at 400°F/204°C, 

post cure at 360 minutes at 

482°F/250°C 

• 120 minutes at 380°F/193°C 



• 300 minutes at 265°F/129°C 



• 120 minutes at 275°F/135°C 



Rs-36 Epoxy 379°F/193°c • 90 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

tc210 Epoxy 262°F/128°c 

tc250 Epoxy 

284°F/140°c or 

374°F/190°c 



250°F/121°C 

• 60 minutes at 190°F/88°C, 

followed by 120 minutes 

at 265°F/130°C. Optional 

post cure of 60 minutes at 

350°F/177°C for higher Tg 

description 

• Good balance of toughness and high temperature performance with good 

modulus retention after radiation exposure 

• Features RS-3C a controlled flow version for vacuum bag/oven cure RS-3M, 

very low flow autoclave version 

• RS-8HT provides excellent elevated temperature properties with good 

toughness and moisture resistance 

• Also available as an RTM resin 

• Very high temperature properties. Controlled flow with long out time. 

• A moderate prepreg with low cure shrinkage, ability to cure at 265°F, low 

moisture absorption, excellent modulus retention after radiation 

• Very low moisture absorption with balanced mechanical, toughness and 

modulus 

• Epoxy with excellent properties and lower costs than cyanate esters, vacuum 

processible, and low moisture absorption 

• Toughened epoxy with good fiber property translation 

• Ideal for sporting goods 

• Performs well in roll wrapping applications 

prepregs 

32 

product 

name 

Resin type tg 

tc410 Cyanate Ester 250°F/121°c 


cure temp/ 

cure time 

• 3 hours at 250°F/121°C 


350°F/177°C 


various High 

temperature Resins 


Pthalonitrile 

AFT 700B Polymide 

PMR-II-50 Polymide 

HFPE-II-52 Polymide 

DMBZ-15 Polymide 

PMR-15 

RS-51 AFR PE-4 

PETI 300 

779°F/415°c 

734°F/390°c 

698°F/370°c 

653°F/345°c 

788°F/420°c 

626°F/330°c 

752°F/400°c 

626°F/330°c 

BF508 Epoxy 186°F/86°c 

BF522 Epoxy 365°F/185°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

BF548 Epoxy 262°F/128°c 

eX-1516 Cyanate Ester 250°F/121°c • 300 minutes at 250°F/121°C 

description 


product 

name 


Resin type tg 

405°F/207°c 


cure temp/ 

cure time 

• 60-90 minutes at 350°F/175°C Optional 

postcure of 120 minutes at 400°F/204°C 

Rs-4A Cyanate Ester 397°F/203°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

Rs-15H Epoxy N/A 

Rtm Resins 

Rs-53 Cyanate Ester 

350°F/177°c or 

600°F/300°c 


tc205 Epoxy 275°F/135°c 


380°F/193°c 


• 30 minutes at 150°F/66°C, or plus 12 

hours at 176°F/80°C 

• 120 minutes at 380°F/193°C Optional post 

cure at 600°F/315°C 

• 30-60 minutes at 190°F/88°C, followed by 

120 minutes at 265°F/130°C. 


cure of 120 minutes at 480°F/249°C 


Rs-16 Cyanate Ester 332°F/167°c 

• 120 minutes at 275°F/135°C followed by 


description 







• Low moisture absorption, low microcracking, reticulatable for 

lightweight core bonding 

• Good for cure skin bonding 

• Low temperature cure capable 

• High temperature cyanate for missile and aircraft structure. 

• Compatible toughened resin film for TC250 

• Toughened resin system with very low 150 cps viscosity at 77°F/25°C 



• 24 hr pot life 

• Toughened resin system, two part system. Full properties with 

350°F/177°C cure. Low viscosity of 140 cps at 110°F/43°C 

• Low cure temperature 

• Two part system 

Rs-50 Epoxy 397°F/203°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

• Toughened epoxy resin for structural applications 


34 

product 

name 

Resin type tg 


cure temp/ 

cure time 

eX-1502-1 Cyanate Ester 260°F/127°c • 300 minutes at 250°F/121°C 

description 

• Two part paste adhesive, good mechanical performance 

• Ideal for cryogenic and space applications 


• Thixotropic two part paste adhesive 

eX-1537-1 Cyanate Ester 405°F/207°c • 120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

• Low viscosity unfilled version of EX-1537 

syntactics Films 

eX-1541 Cyanate Ester 350°F/177°c • 90-120 minutes at 350°F/177°C 

sF-4 BMI 563°F/295°c 

sF-5 Cyanate Ester 349°F/176°c 

Bulk molding compounds 

• 120 minutes at 400°F/204°C and 360 



cure of 120 minutes at 450°F/232°C 

ms-1A Epoxy 327°F/164°c 280°F/138°c High modulus epoxy 

ms-1d Epoxy 327°F/164°c 280°F/138°c High modulus epoxy 

• One part syntactic paste available in four different densities: 11, 13, 

17.5 and 24 pcf 

• Ideal to be used as a foam core 

• Low outgassing 

• Compatible with RS-8HT and other BMI systems 

• Syntactic film compatible with cyanate ester prepregs 

ms-1e Cyanate Ester 327°F/164°c 325°F/163°c High modulus cyanate ester 

ms-1H Epoxy 327°F/164°c 280°F/138°c Fast cure intermediate epoxy 

ms-2d Epoxy 327°F/164°c 280°F/138°c High thermal conductivity 

ms-4A Epoxy 327°F/164°c 280°F/138°c Standard modulus epoxy 

ms-4F Cyanate Ester 379°F/193°c 280°F/138°c Standard modulus cyanate ester 

ms-4H Epoxy 375°F/191°c 280°F/138°c Fast cure, standard modulus epoxy 

Ancillary materials 

pei 

thermoplastic core 

thermoplastic 

Adhesive 

PEI n/A N/A 

Various n/A • Melt temp - 230°F/110°C 

• Low FST 

• Available in several densities from 3-9 pcf 


• Lightweight 


© 2012, Koninklijke Ten Cate nv and/or its subsidiaries 

This brochure contains proprietary information of Koninklijke TenCate nv and/or 

its subsidiaries (TenCate), including but not limited to trademarks, trade names, 

and graphic material, as protected by law. Any reproduction, distribution, or 

sales in any form of the content of this brochure without the express written 

approval of TenCate is strictly prohibited. 

All information published in this brochure is selected with the utmost care, 

however, no rights whatsoever can be derived from this brochure and/or its 

content and TenCate accepts no liability for it. 

TenCate Cetex, TenCate Thermo-Lite, and all related characters, logo’s and 

trade names are claimed and/or registered trademarks and/or trade logo’s of 

Koninklijke Ten Cate nv and/or its subsidiaries. Use of trademarks, trade names 

and other IP rights of TenCate without express written approval of TenCate is 

strictly prohibited. 

Photos courtesy of Airbus, Boeing, Cirrus, General Atomics, U.S. Military, NASA 

and ESA. 


ten cate Advanced composites bv 

Campbellweg 30 

7443 PV Nijverdal 

P.O. Box 9 

7440 AA Nijverdal 

The Netherlands 

Tel: +31 548 633 700 

info_tcac@tencate.com 

ten cate Advanced composites UsA, inc. (tcAc UsA) 

18410 Butterfield Blvd. 

Morgan Hill, California 95037 USA 

Tel: (408) 776-0700 

Fax: (408) 776-0107 

2450 Cordelia Road 

Fairfield, CA 94534 USA 

Tel: (707) 359-3400 

Fax: (707) 359-3459 

tcac-us@tencate.com 

www.tencate.com

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