Applications
Tennis rackets – Babolat
Why flax?
Flax and especially the FlaxTape, improves vibration damping.
This provides players with greater comfort and control, reducing muscle fatigue during long sessions.
Snowboards and skis: Jones, Fischer, Rome
Why flax?
FlaxDry and Fibrimat reinforcements provide precise flex and dynamic comfort to snowboards and skis, while reducing their weight.
Flax optimizes the mechanical strength and responsiveness of equipment on groomed runs or in powder.
Surfing, Kite surfing - Duotone
Why flax?
Some boards, like Duotone , incorporate flax to reduce weight while maintaining rigidity and strength.
Flax naturally absorbs vibrations, improving comfort and water feel, while also reducing the environmental footprint.
Mass-produced part - Beneteau
EcoTechnilin participated in the development of TER²A MAT, a hybrid glass/hemp reinforcement, with Chomarat and Beneteau, used for mass-produced composite parts. This material makes it possible to replace up to 15 tons of fiberglass per year, reducing the carbon footprint while maintaining performance and final properties.
Flax benefits
- Weight reduction : density ~1.45 g/cm³, up to 30% stiffer than glass fibers
- Vibration damping : hollow fiber structure improving comfort and control
- Process : RTM, infusion, thermocompression, hand lay-up
- Industrial replicability : standardized architecture to guarantee consistency of properties
- Aesthetics and differentiation : a natural and premium look that enhances the product
- Reduced environmental impact : local, bio-based and traceable fibers
| Product | Description | Compatible processes | Weights |
|---|---|---|---|
| FlaxDry | Balanced 2-2 twill fabric | Infusion, RTM | 200 g/m² |
| 360 g/m² | |||
| 550 g/m² | |||
| FlaxTape | UD oriented high performance | Compression, RTM, infusion | 100 g/m² |
| 200 g/m² | |||
| 300 g/m² | |||
| Fibrimat | Multidirectional mat | Infusion, compression, prepreg | 300 g/m² |
| 450 g/m² | |||
| Fibrilight | Lightweight multidirectional mat | Contact, infusion, compression, prepreg | 100 g/m² |
| 150 g/m² |
Q&A
1. What are the technical advantages of flax for sports equipment?
Flax offers exceptional vibration damping : its loss coefficient (1.47%) is approximately 10 times greater than that of carbon (0.18%) or glass (0.15%). For the user, this means absorption of unwanted vibrations while maintaining control and feel of the equipment. Furthermore, its ductile and gradual breakage increases user safety compared to the brittle and sharp breakage of carbon.
2. Why choose flax to lighten sports equipment?
With a density of 1.45 g/cm³ , flax is significantly lighter than E-fiberglass (2.55 g/cm³). Its specific modulus (stiffness relative to weight) is 30% higher than that of glass, allowing for the design of lighter structures with the same stiffness. In sports engineering, this advantage reduces equipment inertia (swing weight), improving maneuverability and performance.
3. In what types of equipment is FlaxTape used?
It is primarily used to reinforce strategic areas:
- Winter sports: Integration into ski stiffeners and snowboard decks to stabilize contact on hard snow.
- Racket sports: Use in frames and handles to filter frequencies harmful to the arm.
- Boating: Construction of surfboards, kitesurfing boards for a smoother "ride" in choppy water.
4. Is flax a performance solution or simply an ecological one?
It is primarily an advanced engineering solution for resolving complex vibration dynamics problems. Its environmental aspect is an additional benefit: its production requires five times less energy than glass and it has a negative carbon footprint (CO₂ sink). Finally, it improves manufacturing comfort because it is non-irritating to operators.
