HiPer-tex™ H2020 high performance glass fibre allows production of lighter and cheaper composites cylinders. 

Pursuing its strategy to lead the innovation of glass fibre solutions for the transportation sector, 3B-the fibreglass company is launching HiPer-tex™ H2020 high performance roving to meet the needs for lighter and cheaper high pressure cylinders. 

3B’s technological expertise and manufacturing know-how delivers a high performance glass with outstanding mechanical properties providing a significant greater strength. The new HiPer-tex™ H2020 roving offers more than 25% higher strength than standard glass by reaching 1420 MPa in a typical unidirectional laminate (average glass volume fraction 60%). 

Thanks to its exceptional strength, as well as to its high fatigue performance and acid resistance, HiPer-tex™ H2020 is at the moment the only glass fibre that can be used as sole material in the manufacturing of fully wrapped composite cylinders that are approved as per the United Nations ECE R110 regulation. 

“HiPer-tex™ H2020 provides an answer to the evolving requirements of the gas transportation market looking for large volume cylinders much lighter than steel cylinders and much cheaper than the ones designed with carbon fibre. HiPer-tex™ H2020 is the solution to address these needs. Compared with steel pressure vessels, HiPer-tex™ H2020 allowed cylinders achieve up to 50% weight saving for the same compressed natural gas cylinder designed under the ECE R110 standard” says Eric Debondue, Automotive Market Manager at 3B. 

Building upon the most recently developed sizing technology, the new HiPer-tex™ H2020 is specifically engineered for epoxy polymer systems used in filament winding processes. Its proprietary glass composition combined with optimized sizing technology allows cylinder producers to enjoy the easy processability and the increased productivity offered by glass fibre. 

“Last but not least, HiPer-tex™ H2020 is now continuously produced at 3B, making this new benchmark product available globally for the benefit of the entire value chain” explains Eric Debondue.