The demand for lighter, stronger, and more sustainable materials is rapidly increasing in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and space—making thermoplastic composites essential due to their unique combination of strength, recyclability, and compatibility with automated production methods, perfectly suited for next-generation engineering solutions. Recognizing a significant gap in the region’s capabilities for producing thermoplastic carbon fiber materials, the Thermoplastic Composite team at TII has focused its research on developing thermoplastic carbon fiber unidirectional tapes using water-based thermoplastic formulations.
A regional first
Pioneering innovation in the MENA region, the team has developed the first thermoplastic carbon fiber unidirectional (UD) tape specifically designed for Automated Fiber Placement (AFP)—a cutting-edge process that builds strong, lightweight composite parts layer by layer. These UD tapes are manufactured using water-based formulations of thermoplastic polymers, including high-performance materials like PEEK, engineering-grade polymers such as polyamides and sustainable bio-based alternatives.
By producing carbon fiber UD tapes in a format ready for automated fiber placement (AFP), the team has eliminated the need for additional slitting—an extra step that generates waste and reduces efficiency.
This was made possible by a state-of-the-art Thermoplastic Impregnation Line, which enables precise control of multiple processing parameters from a single console. Such a high level of automation and accuracy is crucial for ensuring consistent product quality and optimizing the overall manufacturing process of the thermoplastic carbon fiber UD tapes.
From sourcing the right materials to acquiring and configuring specialized equipment, each stage has demanded careful problem-solving and resilience. In addition, building local expertise and laying the groundwork for innovation in a field with little regional precedent made the process even more demanding.
Real-world applications and supporting automation
Thermoplastic carbon fiber UD tapes are making a significant impact in advanced manufacturing, sustainable product design, and lightweight structures, supporting the shift towards more efficient, high-performance solutions, while enabling greater adoption of automated manufacturing processes.
What’s more, their versatility allows for wide-range applications across key industries, including aerospace, space, transportation, advanced air mobility, logistics, and infrastructure, where they can contribute to reduced weight, improved fuel efficiency and enhanced durability.
This, in turn, helps to address real-world challenges, such as lowering carbon emissions, extending product lifespans, and promoting more sustainable and scalable production methods.
Collaboration to fast-track adoption
The TII team engaged in a two-year collaboration with a European research institute to design, optimize, and customize the Thermoplastic Impregnation Line to meet its specific goals and enable the production of thermoplastic UD tapes tailored for industrial applications and advanced manufacturing technologies.
They are now seeking further collaborations with both industry and research institutions to advance the performance, validation, and broader adoption of these materials across a range of sectors.
What’s next
The Thermoplastic Composites team is working to make its UD tapes multifunctional by incorporating properties such as enhanced electrical conductivity, electromagnetic (EM) shielding, improved toughness and resistance to permeability—particularly for cryogenic applications. In parallel, the team is actively exploring bio-based and sustainable thermoplastic options to ensure its innovations align with the UAE long-term environmental and sustainability goals.
However, the ultimate goal is real-world application, including but not limited to, the logistics and advance air mobility and space sectors, to support the UAE’s ambitious goals in the new era of aerospace and space exploration.