Consistent with the vision that distinguishes Xenia, the peculiarity of these materials is to guarantee high mechanical performances and lightness, while maintaining constant processability between different batches.

As a result of its technical knowledge in the development and the production of high-performance thermoplastic composites, Xenia ensures characteristics comparable to the corresponding virgin materials and engineers formulations and solutions to meet the technical specifications required by the applications.

In recent years, environmental awareness and the commitment towards the realisation of more sustainable materials have spurred manufacturers to search for solutions to replace virgin plastic materials with recycled ones. The goal is to reintegrate a part of the wastes back into the production chain.

Unfortunately, this transition is often limited because of the poor mechanical performance of these materials, making their use impossible where such requirements are fundamental.

XEGREEN® was precisely born from the desire to overcome this barrier, enabling the replacement of structural high-quality materials with alternative products from recycled wastes. XEGREEN® offers the possibility to take a fundamental step towards a sustainable future to all market operators who need these types of materials for applications where mechanical strength and lightness are prime requisites.

Xenia® Materials, a global leader in thermoplastic specialties, has announced the introduction of XECARB® ST, a new family of supertough carbon fiber composites custom-engineered to close a performance gap in the market and provide superior impact strength performance.

“There is a growing demand for lightweight composites in various new markets, such as sustainable mobility and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), where we have identified a need for higher impact resistance than previously offered by carbon fiber reinforced composites,” says Cristian Zanchetta, Technical Manager for R&D at Xenia® Materials. “Our new XECARB® ST family meets these challenges while at the same time opening new opportunities for innovative applications in existing market segments, such as sports equipment, appliances, supercars and even additive manufacturing.”

XECARB® ST builds on the proven mechanical strengths of Xenia®’s successful XECARB® range, but shows significantly higher notched impact resistance, low temperature ductility and tensile elongation at break. With slightly lower density, the new carbon fiber composite technology offers these unmatched advantages together with further lightweighting possibilities. Major customers seeking to improve the impact and cold impact performance of carbon fiber composite applications are already evaluating the added potential for weight reductions, lower material and energy consumption, associated cost savings and reduced environmental impact.

XECARB® ST thermoplastic composites are based on selected polyamide matrix materials – PA66, PA6, PA11, PA12, PA6.10, PA6.12 and PA4.10 – addressing different mechanical, thermal and physical requirements. Standard carbon fiber content is 30 percent (CF30). The PA6-based composites are also available as CF20, CF25, CF35 and CF40 grades. In addition, the portfolio includes two high-modulus materials for enhanced flexural strength, and provides a wide engineering window for further customization depending on specific application needs.

“Beyond winter and mountain sports equipment from boots and running shoes to bikes, these new high-impact carbon fiber composites will help us reach into other markets and further expand our customer base in Europe, APAC and North America,” adds Enrico Mancinetti, Sales Manager. “Driving this growth, Xenia® Materials will also increase its European sales force with a strong focus on qualified local customer support and service.”

ELI represents the range of in-ground non-reversible electromechanical operators for swing gates. In particular, the durability, the reliability and the silent operation of the AC A 40 and BT A 40 models have been enhanced thanks to the new and exclusive gear realized in XECARB® thermoplastic composite, that has replaced the previous element realized in POM.

With respect to the previous gear, the new one, developed in XECARB^® 17 thermoplastic composite, has shown an over two-times higher durability.

With an impact strength value of 120 MPa and an elongation at break of 5,2%, these materials result extremely performing in heavier automation systems, thus guaranteeing a longer lifespan of the product.

Originally engineered for application in the sport system and the aerospace markets, XECARB®17 thermoplastic composites, developed on PEBA, find several applications also in industrial sectors, due to their intrinsic mechanical properties maintained at low temperatures as well.

After winning ISPO Gold Award 2021 in the Outdoor Equipment Mountaineering Boot category, Salewa®’s Ortles Couloir will make its appearance in stores from Fall 2021. Among the cutting-edge materials used to realize this boot, there are also Xenia® Materials’ thermoplastic composites. The toecap is, indeed, produced on a polymeric base supplied by the Italian company leader in the engineering and production of thermoplastic composites reinforced carbon fibre. This carbon solution offers and guarantees both stiffness and flexibility.

The processing of last generation’s carbon reinforced thermoplastic composites and the injection moulding process allow the standardization and realisation of structures with improved and optimized thickness, which would otherwise turn out to be very expensive and difficult to achieve through the traditional lamination process. Thermoplastic composites are, furthermore, easily and efficiently recyclable.

The compact, solid and agile design, characterized by a narrowed toe area, provides the Ortles Couloir with more precision while climbing both rock and ice. The boot’s frame has been brilliantly designed in carbon fibre in order to offer both lightness and stiffness. Moreover, its hinged joint closure ensures greater comfort while walking and more grip while climbing.

«This new boot was inspired by the Dolomite Mountains, our home, – explains William Starka, Senior Product Manager Footwear & Equipment of Salewa® – the absolute innovation in the alpine boots market is represented by its neat design, which allowed us to obtain great precision, total freedom of movement and an excellent stability for rock and ice climbing. To ensure a long-lasting performance, we selected durable and high-quality performing materials. The Ortles Couloir boot has brought the development of alpine boots into a completely new dimension». «Working with Salewa® and its partners has represented a great and exciting challenge. We began by developing a specific customization process which led to the selection of the polymer and a well-defined percentage of carbon fibre. This tailor-made project made us so happy and pleased» adds Enrico Mancinetti, Xenia® Materials’ Sales Manager.

To study and design together with the outdoor footwear brands the best applications of the thermoplastic-based composites, Xenia® Materials has recently started Xenia Footwear Materials Lab project which offers a turnkey service to the footwear industry companies and supports them step by step; from the choice of the material and co-design phase until the testing process and simulation of the footwear in specific circumstances.

Nox’s sole is entirely realised in XECARB^® 1-C30, a thermoplastic composite engineered and produced by Xenia^® Materials.

The collaboration between Xenia^® Materials and Vittoria Cycling Shoes started a few years ago, when Edoardo Vercelli sensed the possibility to substitute the prepreg epoxy matrix carbon – used in the high-quality cycling shoes’ soles – with XECARB^® carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites.

This turned out to be a winning choice, not only because the weight of the shoe significantly decreased, but also because it has been reached the perfect balance between the necessary stiffness to transmit power on the pedals and the right flexibility that allows the best comfort on walking routes. This great combination is the key of Nox’s success.

The soles, produced in XECARB^® thermoplastic composites, are guaranteed overtime and they have been precisely designed to facilitate the process of mud clearance and cleat connection, possible thanks to the wider shape of the cleat connection area.

Due to their exceptional density value, which is below 0,90 g/cm³, XELIGHT™ grades stand out for their incredible lightness. At the same time, they feature a great impact strength, especially at low temperatures, great flexibility and high energy return, still maintaining the peculiarities of the base polymer.

The XELIGHT™ grades combine a good hydrolytic resistance and dimensional stability to a great processability and thermal resistance, furthermore, they are all colourable and available in biocompatible grades.

These new lightweight thermoplastic composites are the perfect solutions for many applications in the footwear world, especially where exceptional lightness, low density and great flexibility are required, always maintaining their excellent impact strength value.