BP: New technology for PP sheets
BP bought the worldwide rights to the hot compaction technology invented at the University of Leeds and developed by Vantage Polymers, which now continues as a research company. Hot compaction makes so-called ’self-reinforcing’ thermoformable polypropylene sheets by partially melting bundles of fibres and pressing them so that the molten material fuses to form a sheet retaining the alignment of the original fibres. This gives the sheet toughness and rigidity comparable with carbon and glass fibre-reinforced materials, but at lower weight and with the benefit of full recyclability.