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Engineered fibers are designed to enhance the properties of products in a variety of industries. They are widely used in transportation, industrial and construction to improve product safety, strength, environmental resistance and durability.

As shifting market conditions and supply chain disruptions impact traditional supplies of engineered fibers, companies are searching for alternative materials that offer exceptional performance while remaining cost-competitive.

Roy-Tuff™ blends from H.M. Royal offer a superior solution for dispersing fibers. These engineered fibers are ideal for reinforcing adhesives, specialty coatings, plastics and rubber compounds.

What is Roy-Tuff?

Roy-Tuff 8061 and 9021 are two proprietary blends developed by H.M. Royal, Inc. using advanced processing technology. Both of these grades of engineered fibers are compounded aramid pulps designed to maximize surface area, enabling the rapid dispersion of fibers like Kevlar into a variety of viscous materials. These blends typically combine resins, additive and other agents to improve processability and performance in applications such as composite manufacturing coatings and adhesives.

Unlike polymer-bound products, Roy-Tuff is non-polymer-specific, making it compatible with multiple polymer classes. This versatility allows formulators to use a single grade of Roy-Tuff across different applications, reducing costs and simplifying inventory management by eliminating the need for multiple products.

Performance Advantages of Roy-Tuff Engineered Fibers

Roy-Tuff engineered fibers live up to their name. Mooney and MDR data show improved viscosity at equivalent fiber loadings, leading to exceptional processing performance. Other benefits include:

Polymer Compatibility

Universally compatible across all polymer types, Roy-Tuff eliminates compatibility issues and ensures seamless integration into various formulations.

Reduced Cycle Times

Achieves a higher percentage of final property values after just two passes, allowing for faster material incorporation and reduced energy consumption.

Improved Dispersion

For optimal results, we recommend adding half of the carbon black after the initial incorporation of Roy-Tuff at time zero. This early-phase mixing in the internal mixer creates significant shear, improving pulp dispersion within the compound.

Durable and Reliable Performance

Roy-Tuff engineered fibers enhance product longevity and safety, increasing wear resistance by 2–4 times, puncture resistance by 10–20%, and tear resistance by 50–70%.

Cost Efficiency

By reducing processing time and material costs, Roy-Tuff delivers outstanding performance while minimizing overall production expenses.

Loading Levels and Comparative Reinforcement Guidelines

When starting with Roy-Tuff, a loading level of 2–5 parts per hundred rubber (phr) is a reasonable range for optimizing performance. This concentration will improve physical properties and maintain good processability while maximizing the additive’s impact on performance without overuse.

Comparative analysis between Roy-Tuff, carbon black, and precipitated silica revealed that even at 2 phr, Roy-Tuff significantly enhances tear strength. In certain conveyor belt applications, a 2 phr loading of Roy-Tuff demonstrated notable improvements in test results, highlighting its effectiveness as a reinforcing agent.

Applications

Roy-Tuff engineered fibers are designed for demanding applications that require durability, tensile strength, and resistance to wear and environment factors under tough conditions. Their versatility to combine with various advanced materials makes them popular for use in the production of hoses, belts, tires, gaskets and seals, protective clothing, sports apparel, consumer goods, geotextiles, electronic cables and wires, automotive composite materials and mechanical rubber goods. They are an ideal additive for many industries that require high-performance materials for critical applications.

To learn more about Roy-Tuff blends and if they’re right for your application, visit HM Royal Roy-Tuff or contact an H.M. Royal expert today.