Naxcer Thermoplastics has developed several new technologies to use Thermoplastic and Thermoset Composites in new and unique ways to increase strengths and reduce weights within our other product lines.  Naxcer Composites Group has deployed these technologies in automotive markets and our armor systems to achieve significant weight reductions while maintaining strength requirements. 

A thermoplastic is a polymer that turns to a liquid when heated and freezes to a very glassy state when cooled sufficiently. Most thermoplastics are high-molecular-weight polymers whose chains associate through weak Van der Waals forces (polyethylene); stronger dipole-dipole interactions and hydrogen bonding (nylon); or even stacking of aromatic rings (polystyrene). Thermoplastic polymers differ from thermosetting polymers (Bakelite; vulcanized rubber) as they can, unlike thermosetting polymers, be remelted and remolded.  Many thermoplastic materials are addition polymers; e.g., vinyl chain-growth polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene.

Thermoplastic composites are composites that use a thermoplastic polymer as a matrix. These composites can be reinforced with glass, carbon, aramid or metal fibres. A thermoplastic polymer is a long chain polymer that can be either amorphous in structure or semi-crystalline. These polymers are long chain, medium to high molecular weight materials, whose general properties are those of toughness, resistance to chemical attack and recyclability.

Although modestly vulcanized natural and synthetic rubbers are stretchy, they are elastomeric thermosets, not thermoplastics. Each has its own Tg, and will crack and shatter when cold enough so that the crosslinked polymer chains can no longer move relative to one another. But they have no Tm and will decompose at high temperatures rather than melt. Recently, thermoplastic elastomers have become available.