JEC World 2020 postponed to May 12-14

Coronavirus/COVID-19 outbreak and concerns about exhibitor and attendee safety drove the decision. JEC World is the composites industry’s largest trade event.

JEC Group (Paris, France), producer of the JEC World exhibition, announced on Feb. 26 that its 2020 show, originally scheduled for March 3-5, is being postponed to May 12-14. The decision to postpone was made after JEC Group’s latest assessment of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 outbreak and after consulting its board and key stakeholders of the composites industry.

JEC Group says the recent spread of COVID-19 in new countries last week, and especially countries that play an important role in the composite materials industry such as China, South Korea and Italy, has obliged the JEC World organization team and key stakeholders of the industry to reassess the current situation. Increased travel restrictions from authorities, but also at corporate level, both from exhibiting and visiting companies, have drastically reduced the potential attendance to the show, says JEC Group. Moreover, the latest developments of the virus have significantly increased the concerns of participating companies about the health of their employees. JEC Group has the same concerns, having health and safety of their exhibitors, visitors, partners and staff as the number one priority.

JEC Group says it is aware that this decision will require industry professionals, exhibitors, partners, engineers, researchers and buyers to re-schedule their attendance, which will have a significant impact on their organizations, as it will for the JEC Group. The company said in a statement, “We trust though that given the current situation, which is continuously evolving, everyone involved will understand our common and industry decision.”

Questions regarding the postponement should be directed to the JEC Hotline: hotline@jeccomposites.com, +33 (0)1 43 84 86 83.

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Dear Exhibitors & Visitors!

Composite-Expo 2020 is postponed to June 23-25, 2020, Expocentre Fairgrounds, Moscow, Russia.

According to the Moscow authority order regarding COVID-19 situation, at the moment the staff members of COMPOSITE-EXPO work remotely.

Please contact us by email info@composite-expo.com or call the mobile number +7 (968) 973-27-92.

RUF Rodeo: A Carbon Fiber All-Wheel Drive Safari Rally Concept Car

German company RUF developed the Rodeo concept, an all-wheel-drive carbon fiber safari vehicle based on the classic Porsche 911 safari rally car.

Alois Ruf, Jr. has a long relationship with the Porsche 911. In 1983, the RUF BTR was manufactured – the first sports car with a RUF chassis number – a 3.4-liter turbo engine with 374 horsepower and a five-speed gearbox that could also be ordered in the narrow 911 Carrera body. In 1987, the RUF CTR, based on an ordinary Porsche 911, ran at 211 mph on a test track, making it the fastest production car on Earth.

RUF has now introduced the RUF Rodeo concept, an all-wheel-drive carbon fiber chassis safari vehicle based on the classic Porsche 911 safari rally car.

The Rodeo is based around RUF’s carbon-fiber chassis, which has been used in Ruf’s CTR and SCR models, but the Rodeo monocoque is reinforced by an integrated roll cage. The RUF-designed naturally aspirated flat-six engine provides 510 horsepower and sends that power to all four wheels. A long-travel suspension and all-terrain Michelin tires help make off-road driving easier and smoother.

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New approach illuminates damage in polymer composites

A team at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a tool to monitor changes in widely used composite materials known as fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), which can be found in everything from aerospace and infrastructure to wind turbines. The new tool, integrated into these materials, can help measure the damage that occurs as they age.

"This gives us the ability to develop better, more fatigue-resistant composites," said NIST chemist Jeff Gilman. "We can see when the fiber starts to break. We now have a way to quantify the damage."

Since the 1960s, scientists have been experimenting with ways to make FRPs lighter and stronger, which has often meant testing the bond between fiber and resin. As reported in a previous paper, the NIST team experimented with adding small molecules that fluoresce after the impact of mechanical force. By changing color or lighting up, these molecules, called ‘mechanophores’, can help to identify tiny nanometer-sized openings or cracks between the fiber and resin.

The NIST team has now taken this technology to the next level by incorporating mechanophores throughout the composite resin. Although not noticeable to the naked eye, this latest approach allows scientists to use special microscopy imaging techniques to measure FRP damage. The approach involves incorporating a minute amount (less than 0.1% mass) of a fluorescent dye called rhodamine that causes no appreciable changes in the FRP's physical properties.

If the new mechanophore is embedded in structures made of FRP, field testing for fatigue could be done inexpensively and on a regular basis. Structures like wind turbines could frequently be scanned easily for interior cracks, even years after they've been erected.

Initial work with this new tool also revealed a surprise about FRP damage. When a fiber breaks, it sends out a kind of ‘shock wave’ that moves throughout the material, explained Jeremiah Woodcock, the lead author of a paper on this work in Composites Science and Technology. In the past, it was believed that most of the damage was happening at the point of breakage.

"We thought that when we looked at the results, there'd be a halo of light around the crack, showing the fluorescence of the mechanophore," Woodcock said. Instead, they found that damage occurs in places that are very remote from the point of fiber fracture. "It's like we knew about the earthquake but didn't know about the tsunami that follows after it."

The NIST mechanophore research also found that existing testing was unintentionally damaging the material's strength, leading designers and engineers to overdesign FRPs. Using the mechanophore could, therefore, bring down energy and manufacturing costs, and expand the ways these materials are used in industry.

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JEC World composites event reschedules for March 2021

JEC Group, the organisers of JEC World Paris has announced today that it will be impossible to hold JEC World from May 12-14 2020 as planned due to the coronavirus pandemic, and as a result the extension of the containment throughout Europe and the travel restrictions being reinforced around the world.

This decision was made after JEC Group organised a survey within JEC World exhibitors, which revealed that 87.9% of the respondents were in favour of holding the next session of JEC World from March 9-11, 2021.

A statement on the JEC website read: “Even if all required preparations have been done by our teams, the COVID-19 situation with travel restrictions, containment measures and the clear preference of our exhibitors for holding the next session on March 2021, are justifying this decision. All the participants and partners will be contacted very soon in order to best manage the consequences of this decision.”

As the leading trade show of the composites industry, JEC World brings together the whole industry value chain, as well as professionals from application sectors, experts from the scientific and academic world, associations and media from more than 112 countries.

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Emergency Medical Shelters Built of Composite Materials are Strong and Quickly Assembled

To meet the urgent need to medical shelters caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Core Composites is developing its rapidly deployable Tupelo Flat emergency shelter solution, normally used by U.S. Military Command field hospitals.

Core Composites is working in partnership with ADS, an operations and logistics provider, to rapidly ready its Tupelo Flat Pack Shelter for use by hospitals needing extra capacity to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tupelo Flat has been used successfully by the U.S. military for field hospitals and other structures and can be used for all medical needs, including as virus testing, surgical bays, MRIs and x-rays, intensive care, and other medical operations.

Thanks to the composite panels, the flat packs are light, strong and durable, with the heaviest panel weighing only 200 pounds. The panels are also versatile, re-deployable and can be used in roofs, walls and floors. Each unit is 10’ x 10’ x 20’ and can be integrated to create larger spaces. The Tupelo Flat meets construction requirements, can be set up in rough terrain if needed, is fire retardant and meets medical operational requirements. The composite materials used to develop the Tupelo Flat make it resistant to corrosive agents such as toxic chemicals and extreme weather conditions. No material handling equipment is needed for set up and the Tupelo Flat can be assembled on site in just hours.

The shelter includes energy-efficient LED lights with wires recessed into the roofs, providing the illumination necessary for medical procedures. The Tupelo Flat also provides electrical waterfall, is HVAC ready and has external water connections.

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Next Gen prototype
A prototype Next Gen car built by Richard Childress Racing (RCR, Welcome, N.C., U.S.) was test driven by RCR driver Austin Dillon in October 2019 and then by Team Penske driver Joey Logano in December 2019

Carbon fiber components
This 2019 car built by Hendricks Racing for driver Jimmie Johnson has 35% more carbon fiber than his 2002 car, which had a few carbon ducts but was almost entirely metal. The 2019 car has a carbon fiber hood, part of the nose, trunk, seat, bumpers and some small parts. The largest carbon fiber part is the seat.

The evolution of composites in NASCAR

There’s something uniquely American about stock car racing. In the U.S., the sport has origins tied to the distribution of bootleg whiskey, known as moonshine, during the 1920s in the Prohibition era. Bootleggers would lighten and modify their vehicles for increased speed and handling in order to evade police. Fascination with these souped-up street vehicles led drivers to begin racing them for prize money and bragging rights. The races became a popular form of entertainment, and the tradition eventually became an organized sport.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, better known as NASCAR (Charlotte, N.C., U.S.), officially got its start in 1948 when the organization was established to create a standardized set of stock car racing rules and regulations. Today the sanctioning body oversees more than 1,500 races at various tracks in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe.

Lightweighting and improving a car’s speed go hand-in-hand, so naturally NASCAR vehicles have used composites for their inherent light weight, strength and stiffness for decades. A carbon fiber part manufactured at the same thickness as a steel part offers four times the strength at one third the weight. NASCAR teams, constantly looking for opportunities to legally remove weight from their vehicles, have increased use of composite materials in the sport over the years.

In addition to lightweighting, composite parts also offer other advantages. Tremendous heat is generated in brakes during racing, and under the hood temperatures can reach 300-400ºF. Carbon fiber’s heat-resistant qualities can help reduce fatigue on engine parts.

In the current Generation 6 vehicle specification (commonly referred to as Gen-6) used in the NASCAR Cup racing series, several body parts are made of composite materials. Gen-6 cars comprise a steel tube frame chassis and a mix of carbon fiber and stamped steel body panels. The car’s hood and rear deck lid are made of carbon fiber with Kevlar incorporated to decrease splintering and shattering in the event of a crash. The front and rear fascia also are made of composites. Other examples of composite components include cooling hoses, gear cooler housings, brake ducts and battery cases. When it comes to engine components, the emphasis on composite parts is placed on components mounted higher on the engine, which lowers the vehicle’s center of gravity. Carbon fiber seats are also often used. The current cars weigh 3,200 pounds (1,451 kilograms) without driver and fuel.

A new seventh-generation vehicle specification is currently in development for NASCAR, and many teams expect the so-called Next Gen car to allow for even more composites, possibly even an all-composite body. There is also speculation that the current body-on-frame construction of NASCAR vehicles would be replaced by a tub that would likely also incorporate carbon fiber.

According to Jeff Andrews, director of engine operations at NASCAR Cup Series team Hendrick Motorsports (Charlotte, N.C., U.S.), the Next-Gen car aims to be lighter than the current Gen-6 car and will likely be in the 3,000- to 3,100-pound range. “The sport could see widespread adoption of composite bodies within 2-4 years.” He added that a full composite body system could provide a more consistent surface over the length of the vehicle and possibly allow for more streamlined vehicle build times.

Though not yet introduced into NASCAR’s Cup Series, composite bodies are already being tested at other levels of NASCAR competition. An all-composite body was first introduced to NASCAR’s national competition level in three races during its Xfinity Series competition in 2017. In 2018, the composite body style was used in all races in the series except for the superspeedway races (Dayton International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway). The Xfinity composite body is made up of 13 interlocking composite panels held together by flanges. Essentially, the panels lock and bolt into place, which eases replacement of damaged panels.

In addition to lightweighting, NASCAR’s goal with the Next Gen specification is to lower the cost of competing in NASCAR, opening the door for vehicle manufacturers beyond the big three — Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota — that dominate the sport. John Probst, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development, has said that the Next Gen bodies will likely be constructed from a flange fit composite material — meaning that the panels are interlocking — as with the cars used for the Xfinity series.

A prototype Next Gen car built by Richard Childress Racing (RCR, Welcome, N.C., U.S.) was test-driven by RCR driver Austin Dillon in October 2019 and then by Team Penske driver Joey Logano in December 2019. While development and testing continues, the Next Gen shell and chassis is expected to debut in 2021.

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Graphene can help produce stronger carbon fibers

This shows the lab experiments and computer simulations used by the researchers to determine that adding graphene to the carbon fiber production process can greatly increase the strengthen of the material. Image: Margaret Kowalik and Adri van Duin/Penn State

A new way of creating carbon fibers – which are typically expensive to make – could one day lead to using these lightweight, high-strength materials to improve safety and reduce the cost of producing cars, according to a team of researchers. Using a mix of computer simulations and laboratory experiments, the team found that adding small amounts of graphene, a 2D carbon material, to the production process both reduces the production cost and strengthens the fibers.

For decades, carbon fibers have been a mainstay of airplane production. If created in the right way, these long strands of carbon atoms, narrower than a human hair, are lightweight, stiff and strong – a perfect application for keeping passengers safe in a vehicle soaring miles above the ground. But carbon fibers have proved too expensive for use in other applications, such as large-scale car production.

"Even though carbon fibers have really nice features, they would make a car far more expensive" with the way carbon fibers are manufactured now, said Adri van Duin, professor of mechanical and chemical engineering at Penn State. "If you can get these properties easier to manufacture then you can make cars significantly lighter, lower the cost of them and make them safer."

Carbon fiber sells for about $15 per pound today, and the team, which includes researchers from Penn State, the University of Virginia and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in collaboration with industry partners Solvay and Oshkosh, wants to reduce that to $5 per pound by making changes to the complex production process. A lower production cost will increase carbon fiber's potential applications, including in cars. The team's research may also lower the cost of producing other types of carbon fibers, some of which sell for up to $900 per pound today.

"Currently most carbon fibers are produced from a polymer known as polyacrylonitrile, or PAN, and it is pretty costly," said Malgorzata Kowalik, a researcher in Penn State's Department of Mechanical Engineering. "The price of PAN makes up about 50% of the production cost of carbon fibers."

PAN is used to create 90% of carbon fibers found on the market today, but its production requires an enormous amount of energy. First, PAN fibers have to be heated to 200–300°C to oxidize them. Next, they must be heated to 1200–1600°C to carbonize them, driving off the non-carbon atoms. Finally, they have to be heated to 2100°C so that the carbon molecules are aligned properly. Without this series of steps, the resulting material would lack its needed strength and stiffness.

In a recent paper in Science Advances, the team reports that adding trace amounts of graphene – only 0.075% concentration by weight – to the first stages of this process allowed the team to create a carbon fiber that had 225% greater strength and 184% greater stiffness than the conventionally made PAN-based carbon fibers.

The team also gleaned insights into the chemical reactions taking place through a series of small- and large-scale computer simulations conducted on several supercomputers. They also studied the properties of each material using laboratories in Penn State's Materials Research Institute (MRI).

"We connected experiments of different scales to not only show that this process works, but it gave us an atomistic-scale reason why these types of additives work," said van Duin, also the director of the MRI's Materials Computation Center. "That knowledge allows us to optimize the process further."

The flat structure of graphene helps to align PAN molecules consistently throughout the fiber, which is needed in the production process. Further, at high temperatures graphene edges have a natural catalytic property so that "the rest of PAN condenses around these edges", said van Duin.

With the new knowledge gained from this study, the team is exploring further ways to use graphene in this production process with cheaper precursors. Their goal is to cut out one or more of the production steps altogether, thereby reducing costs even more.

This story is adapted from material from Penn State, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier. Link to original source.

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