Composites
Photo
Japanese researchers tested the heat resistance of carbon fiber-reinforced UHTC matrix composites
Carbon fiber-reinforced ultra-high-temperature ceramic (UHTC) matrix composites are extensively used in space shuttles and high-speed vehicles. However, these composites suffer from a lack of oxidation resistance. Recently, researchers from Japan tested the heat resistance of these composites at very high temperatures, providing insight into the modifications needed to prevent UHTC degradation. Their findings could have huge implications for the manufacture of space shuttle orbiters.
Carbon fiber-reinforced carbon (C/C) is a composite material made of carbon fiber reinforced in a matrix of glassy carbon or graphite. It is best known as the material used in hypersonic vehicles and space shuttle orbiters, which cruise at speeds greater than Mach 5. Since the 1970s, it has also been used in the brake system in Formula One racing cars. Even though C/C has excellent mechanical properties at high temperatures and inert atmospheres, it lacks oxidation resistance in these conditions, making its widespread use limited.
Researchers have found that ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTCs), which include transition metal carbides and diborides, show good oxidation resistance. In previous studies, zirconium-titanium (Zr-Ti) alloy infiltration has shown promising results for improving the heat resistance of carbon fiber-reinforced UHTC matrix composites (C/UHTCMCs). However, their use at high temperatures (>2000 ℃) is not known.
Set against this backdrop, a group of researchers from Japan have evaluated the potential utility of Zr-Ti alloy-infiltrated C/UHTCMCs at temperatures above 2000 ℃. Their study, led by Junior Associate Professor Ryo Inoue from Tokyo University of Science (TUS), was published in the Journal of Materials Science and made available online on October 27, 2022. The research team consisted of Mr. Noriatsu Koide and Assistant Professor Yutaro Arai from TUS, Professor Makoto Hasegawa from Yokohama National University, and Dr. Toshiyuki Nishimura from the National Institute for Materials Science.
Speaking of the motivation behind their study, “The research is an extension of the research and development of ceramics and ceramics-based composite materials. In recent years, we have received inquiries from several manufacturers of heavy industries regarding materials that can be used at temperatures above 2000 °C. We have also started to work with these manufacturers to develop new materials,” says Prof. Inoue.
The C/UHTCMC was manufactured using melt infiltration, which is the most cost-effective way to fabricate these materials. To study the applicability of this material, three types of C/UHTCMCs were fabricated with three different alloy compositions. The three alloy compositions used had varying atomic ratios of Zr:Ti. To characterize the heat resistance, the team used a method called arc-wind tunnel testing. This method involves exposing the material to extremely high enthalpy airflow inside a tunnel, similar to conditions that spacecrafts experience while re-entering the atmosphere.
The team found that the amount of Zr in the alloy had a strong effect on the degradation of the composite for all temperatures. This is owing to the thermodynamic preference for the oxidation of Zr-rich carbides compared to Ti-rich carbides. Further, the Zr and Ti oxides formed on the composite surface prevented further oxidation, and the oxide composition depended on the composition of the infiltrated alloys. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the oxides formed on the composite surface were composed of ZrO2, ZrTiO4, and TiO2 solid solutions.
Carbon fiber-reinforced ultra-high-temperature ceramic (UHTC) matrix composites are extensively used in space shuttles and high-speed vehicles. However, these composites suffer from a lack of oxidation resistance. Recently, researchers from Japan tested the heat resistance of these composites at very high temperatures, providing insight into the modifications needed to prevent UHTC degradation. Their findings could have huge implications for the manufacture of space shuttle orbiters.
Carbon fiber-reinforced carbon (C/C) is a composite material made of carbon fiber reinforced in a matrix of glassy carbon or graphite. It is best known as the material used in hypersonic vehicles and space shuttle orbiters, which cruise at speeds greater than Mach 5. Since the 1970s, it has also been used in the brake system in Formula One racing cars. Even though C/C has excellent mechanical properties at high temperatures and inert atmospheres, it lacks oxidation resistance in these conditions, making its widespread use limited.
Researchers have found that ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTCs), which include transition metal carbides and diborides, show good oxidation resistance. In previous studies, zirconium-titanium (Zr-Ti) alloy infiltration has shown promising results for improving the heat resistance of carbon fiber-reinforced UHTC matrix composites (C/UHTCMCs). However, their use at high temperatures (>2000 ℃) is not known.
Set against this backdrop, a group of researchers from Japan have evaluated the potential utility of Zr-Ti alloy-infiltrated C/UHTCMCs at temperatures above 2000 ℃. Their study, led by Junior Associate Professor Ryo Inoue from Tokyo University of Science (TUS), was published in the Journal of Materials Science and made available online on October 27, 2022. The research team consisted of Mr. Noriatsu Koide and Assistant Professor Yutaro Arai from TUS, Professor Makoto Hasegawa from Yokohama National University, and Dr. Toshiyuki Nishimura from the National Institute for Materials Science.
Speaking of the motivation behind their study, “The research is an extension of the research and development of ceramics and ceramics-based composite materials. In recent years, we have received inquiries from several manufacturers of heavy industries regarding materials that can be used at temperatures above 2000 °C. We have also started to work with these manufacturers to develop new materials,” says Prof. Inoue.
The C/UHTCMC was manufactured using melt infiltration, which is the most cost-effective way to fabricate these materials. To study the applicability of this material, three types of C/UHTCMCs were fabricated with three different alloy compositions. The three alloy compositions used had varying atomic ratios of Zr:Ti. To characterize the heat resistance, the team used a method called arc-wind tunnel testing. This method involves exposing the material to extremely high enthalpy airflow inside a tunnel, similar to conditions that spacecrafts experience while re-entering the atmosphere.
The team found that the amount of Zr in the alloy had a strong effect on the degradation of the composite for all temperatures. This is owing to the thermodynamic preference for the oxidation of Zr-rich carbides compared to Ti-rich carbides. Further, the Zr and Ti oxides formed on the composite surface prevented further oxidation, and the oxide composition depended on the composition of the infiltrated alloys. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the oxides formed on the composite surface were composed of ZrO2, ZrTiO4, and TiO2 solid solutions.
Composites
Photo
At temperatures above 2000 ℃, the thickness and weight of the samples increased with the Zr content of the composites after the arc-wind tunnel tests. The team also observed that the melting point of the surface oxides increased as the Zr content increased. For temperatures above 2600 ℃, the only oxides formed were liquid-phase, requiring a thermodynamic design of the matrix composition to prevent the recession of UHTC composites.
“We have successfully studied the degradation of C/UHTCMC at temperatures above 2000 ℃ using thermodynamic analysis. We have also shown that the matrix design needs modification to prevent the degradation of the composites. Our research has the potential to contribute to the realization of ultra-high-speed passenger aircraft, re-entry vehicle, and other hypersonic vehicles,” concludes Prof. Inoue.
These results could have important consequences in the production of advanced space shuttle orbiters and high-speed vehicles.
#composites #UHTC #CarbonFiberReinforcedCarbon #UHTCMC
> source
“We have successfully studied the degradation of C/UHTCMC at temperatures above 2000 ℃ using thermodynamic analysis. We have also shown that the matrix design needs modification to prevent the degradation of the composites. Our research has the potential to contribute to the realization of ultra-high-speed passenger aircraft, re-entry vehicle, and other hypersonic vehicles,” concludes Prof. Inoue.
These results could have important consequences in the production of advanced space shuttle orbiters and high-speed vehicles.
#composites #UHTC #CarbonFiberReinforcedCarbon #UHTCMC
> source
Norwich Company aims to reduce emissions with plant-based composites
With a growing focus on sustainability across all industries, Cellexcel, a company based at the University of East Anglia (UEA) at Norwich Research Park, has launched a new technology to enhance the performance and increase the usage of plant-based materials in manufacturing. Its technology is forecast to extend and accelerate the adoption of biomaterials, leading to a significant reduction in greenhouse gases.
Cellexcel is a spin-out company from UEA and was formed to take advantage of the rapid growth forecast for the use of composite materials in industry. The market was worth $23bn in 2021 and is expected to grow to $80bn by 2029. The ability to replace materials, which generate CO2 emissions, with biomaterials has become a matter of urgency across multiple industries, including automotive and aerospace.
Cellexcel’s technology was created through the work of Prof Richard Stephenson, CSO of Cellexcel and Emeritus Professor School of Chemistry at UEA, which is a partner organisation of Norwich Research Park, one of the world’s most acclaimed centres for bio-based science research.
Tim Pryce, executive chair of Cellexcel, said: “There are major benefits to Cellexcel of working with great associates at both UEA and Norwich Research Park. Firstly, they provide a great technical resource, right on our doorstep, but critically, the team at Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP – the science park management company at Norwich Research Park that manages campus-wide initiatives – facilitated pre-seed funding that enabled us to prepare our business plans, retain talented staff and introduce key people drivers, within multi-national global businesses.
“It’s provided a great launch pad for Cellexcel and will be able to do the same for other spin-out companies.”
Composites, as the name suggests, are materials that are made up of a number of different elements – a reinforcement material embedded in a resin. Some of the most common in use are fibre glass reinforced resins and carbon fibre reinforcing materials, and along with thermoplastics they are used to make components such as panels for cars, aircraft and high-performance bicycles. Traditional composites like these, as with polycarbonate plastics, consume a massive amount of energy in their manufacture and thus create high CO2 emissions.
A change to bio-based composites made from materials like flax or hemp would make a measurable difference. Not only do they not need as much energy in the manufacturing process, growing a field of hemp or flax in the first place will absorb a significant amount of CO2 out of the atmosphere.
As an example, if fibreglass material was replaced with a bio-composite, then approximately three tonnes of CO2 per tonne of fibreglass would be saved. With such rampant growth in demand forecast for composites, replacing fibre glass and carbon fibre with bio-composites could become a positive contributor to the environment.
Currently, bio-composites account for just 6pc of the market. The big challenge is how to replace thermoplastics and fibreglass with bio-materials. If the market moves from a 6pc to 12pc bio-composite usage, that is a $10bn opportunity.
Cellexcel’s primary technology is focused on enhancing the water resistance properties of flax and hemp materials, enabling them to then be employed in a much wider range of applications, from lawnmowers, to drones and external automotive panels.
In dry environments, like the inside of a car, bio-composites work well, but for exteriors there is a need to improve their performance. Cellexcel is applying an innovative approach to this and is chemically modifying the plant material to enhance their properties, such as water resistance.
Cellexcel is looking to expand its product portfolio and technology offering and believes that it can make in-roads into both the aviation and automotive sectors as well as other high-performance applications.
With a growing focus on sustainability across all industries, Cellexcel, a company based at the University of East Anglia (UEA) at Norwich Research Park, has launched a new technology to enhance the performance and increase the usage of plant-based materials in manufacturing. Its technology is forecast to extend and accelerate the adoption of biomaterials, leading to a significant reduction in greenhouse gases.
Cellexcel is a spin-out company from UEA and was formed to take advantage of the rapid growth forecast for the use of composite materials in industry. The market was worth $23bn in 2021 and is expected to grow to $80bn by 2029. The ability to replace materials, which generate CO2 emissions, with biomaterials has become a matter of urgency across multiple industries, including automotive and aerospace.
Cellexcel’s technology was created through the work of Prof Richard Stephenson, CSO of Cellexcel and Emeritus Professor School of Chemistry at UEA, which is a partner organisation of Norwich Research Park, one of the world’s most acclaimed centres for bio-based science research.
Tim Pryce, executive chair of Cellexcel, said: “There are major benefits to Cellexcel of working with great associates at both UEA and Norwich Research Park. Firstly, they provide a great technical resource, right on our doorstep, but critically, the team at Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP – the science park management company at Norwich Research Park that manages campus-wide initiatives – facilitated pre-seed funding that enabled us to prepare our business plans, retain talented staff and introduce key people drivers, within multi-national global businesses.
“It’s provided a great launch pad for Cellexcel and will be able to do the same for other spin-out companies.”
Composites, as the name suggests, are materials that are made up of a number of different elements – a reinforcement material embedded in a resin. Some of the most common in use are fibre glass reinforced resins and carbon fibre reinforcing materials, and along with thermoplastics they are used to make components such as panels for cars, aircraft and high-performance bicycles. Traditional composites like these, as with polycarbonate plastics, consume a massive amount of energy in their manufacture and thus create high CO2 emissions.
A change to bio-based composites made from materials like flax or hemp would make a measurable difference. Not only do they not need as much energy in the manufacturing process, growing a field of hemp or flax in the first place will absorb a significant amount of CO2 out of the atmosphere.
As an example, if fibreglass material was replaced with a bio-composite, then approximately three tonnes of CO2 per tonne of fibreglass would be saved. With such rampant growth in demand forecast for composites, replacing fibre glass and carbon fibre with bio-composites could become a positive contributor to the environment.
Currently, bio-composites account for just 6pc of the market. The big challenge is how to replace thermoplastics and fibreglass with bio-materials. If the market moves from a 6pc to 12pc bio-composite usage, that is a $10bn opportunity.
Cellexcel’s primary technology is focused on enhancing the water resistance properties of flax and hemp materials, enabling them to then be employed in a much wider range of applications, from lawnmowers, to drones and external automotive panels.
In dry environments, like the inside of a car, bio-composites work well, but for exteriors there is a need to improve their performance. Cellexcel is applying an innovative approach to this and is chemically modifying the plant material to enhance their properties, such as water resistance.
Cellexcel is looking to expand its product portfolio and technology offering and believes that it can make in-roads into both the aviation and automotive sectors as well as other high-performance applications.
Tim said: “The demand for bio-composites is being driven by industries seeking more sustainable solutions. The technology advances in this area are proving to be attractive to investors who view sustainability as a key shareholder goal. The desire to reduce emissions will lead to the ultimate success of bio-composites being adopted on a large scale.”
Nick Goodwin, COO of Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP, said: “Cellexcel is a great example of the commercialisation of research taking place at Norwich Research Park. These are people with ingenious ideas, working hard to develop and test them in laboratories and workshops and then, with data to prove their theories, they leap into business to maximise the societal impact by setting up a company, developing a plan and raising money to fund their new idea.
“We have been working with Tim, and his team, to fund early-stage business formation activity and helped to put in place some options for seed funding, to enable future growth. Without doubt, the reduction of carbon emissions in manufacturing is a global challenge and it’s one that people here at Norwich Research Park are making significant progress in addressing – something that we can all be really proud of.”
#composites #NorwichCompany #PlantBasedComposites
> source
Nick Goodwin, COO of Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP, said: “Cellexcel is a great example of the commercialisation of research taking place at Norwich Research Park. These are people with ingenious ideas, working hard to develop and test them in laboratories and workshops and then, with data to prove their theories, they leap into business to maximise the societal impact by setting up a company, developing a plan and raising money to fund their new idea.
“We have been working with Tim, and his team, to fund early-stage business formation activity and helped to put in place some options for seed funding, to enable future growth. Without doubt, the reduction of carbon emissions in manufacturing is a global challenge and it’s one that people here at Norwich Research Park are making significant progress in addressing – something that we can all be really proud of.”
#composites #NorwichCompany #PlantBasedComposites
> source
Composites
Photo
China develops a prototype of its first flying car
A manned two-seat split-type flying vehicle engineering prototype developed by the team of Xiang Changle, a scientist of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was jointly revealed by Beijing Institute of Technology, Chongqing Innovation Center of Beijing Institute of Technology, Cool High Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and Chongqing Municipality.
The flying car adopts a split configuration of three independent modules: an autonomous vertical take-off and landing aircraft, a cockpit and a chassis. It is a three-dimensional transport system for people and objects.
The two-seat cockpit adopts ultra-lightweight design, with a deadweight of 80 kg; the maximum load of the autonomous chassis is greater than 500 kg, and the maximum design speed is 80 km/h.
According to Beijing Institute of Technology, the flying car has the respective advantages of a near-earth aircraft and a ground driving chassis. It can realize personnel and cargo air-to-ground transfer, with flexibility. Through ground-air collaborative precise perception and positioning, intelligent decision-making and planning, and automatic guidance and docking technologies, the modules combination and reconstruction can be realized, and different driving modes of land and air can be switched.
“Flying cars are a new type of urban transportation and are an effective way to solve traffic congestion and environmental pollution faced by urban development. The United States, the European Union, Japan and other developed countries or regions attach great importance to support the research and development of flying cars or urban aircraft. China also focuses on the deployment of flying car research and development in the medium and long term. To meet the demand for the construction of a national transportation power, flying car technology and industrial development will usher in a period of rapid development”, the Beijing Institute of Technology announces.
#composites #FlyingCar
> source
A manned two-seat split-type flying vehicle engineering prototype developed by the team of Xiang Changle, a scientist of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was jointly revealed by Beijing Institute of Technology, Chongqing Innovation Center of Beijing Institute of Technology, Cool High Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and Chongqing Municipality.
The flying car adopts a split configuration of three independent modules: an autonomous vertical take-off and landing aircraft, a cockpit and a chassis. It is a three-dimensional transport system for people and objects.
The two-seat cockpit adopts ultra-lightweight design, with a deadweight of 80 kg; the maximum load of the autonomous chassis is greater than 500 kg, and the maximum design speed is 80 km/h.
According to Beijing Institute of Technology, the flying car has the respective advantages of a near-earth aircraft and a ground driving chassis. It can realize personnel and cargo air-to-ground transfer, with flexibility. Through ground-air collaborative precise perception and positioning, intelligent decision-making and planning, and automatic guidance and docking technologies, the modules combination and reconstruction can be realized, and different driving modes of land and air can be switched.
“Flying cars are a new type of urban transportation and are an effective way to solve traffic congestion and environmental pollution faced by urban development. The United States, the European Union, Japan and other developed countries or regions attach great importance to support the research and development of flying cars or urban aircraft. China also focuses on the deployment of flying car research and development in the medium and long term. To meet the demand for the construction of a national transportation power, flying car technology and industrial development will usher in a period of rapid development”, the Beijing Institute of Technology announces.
#composites #FlyingCar
> source
Composites
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Owens Corning completes sale of Russian operations
The decision, made earlier this year, includes a composites and insulation manufacturing plant based in Russia.
Following its decision earlier this year to exit the Russian market, Owens Corning (Toledo, Ohio, U.S.) has announced that it has completed the sale of its operations in the country to Umatex, a Russian-based producer of carbon fiber and fiber-based items.
The transaction includes two manufacturing operations: a composites manufacturing plant in Gous-Khroustalny and an insulation manufacturing plant in Tver/Izoplit. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2022, net sales in Russia were approximately $85 million.
“This announcement represents the final step in our process to fully exit our operations in Russia,” Brian Chambers, chair and CEO, Owens Corning, explains. “I would like to thank our colleagues in Russia for their contributions to our company and customers over the years.”
Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed. In conjunction with the announcement, the company reaffirmed its guidance of modest growth in net sales and earnings for the enterprise in the fourth quarter compared with the same period in 2021.
#composites #Umatex #OwensCorning #CarbonFiber
> source
The decision, made earlier this year, includes a composites and insulation manufacturing plant based in Russia.
Following its decision earlier this year to exit the Russian market, Owens Corning (Toledo, Ohio, U.S.) has announced that it has completed the sale of its operations in the country to Umatex, a Russian-based producer of carbon fiber and fiber-based items.
The transaction includes two manufacturing operations: a composites manufacturing plant in Gous-Khroustalny and an insulation manufacturing plant in Tver/Izoplit. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2022, net sales in Russia were approximately $85 million.
“This announcement represents the final step in our process to fully exit our operations in Russia,” Brian Chambers, chair and CEO, Owens Corning, explains. “I would like to thank our colleagues in Russia for their contributions to our company and customers over the years.”
Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed. In conjunction with the announcement, the company reaffirmed its guidance of modest growth in net sales and earnings for the enterprise in the fourth quarter compared with the same period in 2021.
#composites #Umatex #OwensCorning #CarbonFiber
> source
Composites
MIT researchers have developed a scalable fabrication technique for producing ultrathin, lightweight solar cells that can be stuck onto any surface. Photo: Melanie Gonick, MIT.
Ultralight fabric solar cells can take charge of any surface
Engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed ultralight fabric solar cells that can quickly and easily turn any surface into a power source.
These durable, flexible solar cells, which are much thinner than a human hair, are glued to a strong, lightweight fabric, making them easy to install on a fixed surface. They can provide energy on the go as a wearable power fabric, or be transported and rapidly deployed in remote locations for assistance in emergencies. They are one-hundredth the weight of conventional solar panels, generate 18 times more power-per-kilogram, and are made from semiconducting inks using printing processes that can be scaled in the future to large-area manufacturing.
Because they are so thin and lightweight, these solar cells can be laminated onto many different surfaces. For instance, they could be integrated onto the sails of a boat to provide power while at sea, adhered onto tents and tarps that are deployed in disaster recovery operations, or applied onto the wings of drones to extend their flying range. This lightweight solar technology can be easily integrated into built environments with minimal installation needs.
“The metrics used to evaluate a new solar cell technology are typically limited to their power conversion efficiency and their cost in dollars-per-watt,” says Vladimir Bulovic, chair in emerging technology at MIT, leader of the Organic and Nanostructured Electronics Laboratory (ONE Lab), director of MIT.nano, and senior author of a paper on this work in Small Methods. “Just as important is integrability – the ease with which the new technology can be adapted. The lightweight solar fabrics enable integrability, providing impetus for the current work. We strive to accelerate solar adoption, given the present urgent need to deploy new carbon-free sources of energy.”
Traditional silicon solar cells are fragile, so they must be encased in glass and packaged in heavy, thick aluminum framing, which limits where and how they can be deployed. Six years ago, the ONE Lab team produced solar cells using an emerging class of thin-film materials that were so lightweight they could sit on top of a soap bubble. But these ultrathin solar cells were fabricated using complex, vacuum-based processes, which can be expensive and challenging to scale up.
In this work, the team set out to develop thin-film solar cells that are entirely printable, using ink-based materials and scalable fabrication techniques. To produce the solar cells, the engineers use nanomaterials that are in the form of a printable electronic ink. Working in the MIT.nano clean room, they coat the solar cell structure using a slot-die coater, which deposits layers of the electronic materials onto a prepared, releasable substrate that is only 3µm thick. Using screen printing (a technique similar to how designs are added to silkscreened T-shirts), an electrode is deposited on the structure to complete the solar module.
The researchers can then peel the printed module, which is about 15µm in thickness, off the plastic substrate, forming an ultralight solar device.
But such thin, freestanding solar modules are challenging to handle and can easily tear, which would make them difficult to deploy. To solve this challenge, the MIT team searched for a lightweight, flexible and high-strength substrate they could adhere the solar cells to. They identified fabrics as the optimal solution, as they provide mechanical resilience and flexibility with little added weight.
They ended up finding an ideal material — a composite fabric that weighs only 13 grams per square meter, commercially known as Dyneema. This fabric is made of fibers that are so strong they were used as ropes to lift the sunken cruise ship Costa Concordia from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. By adding a layer of UV-curable glue that is only a few microns thick, they adhere the solar modules to sheets of this fabric, forming an ultra-light and mechanically robust solar structure.
Engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed ultralight fabric solar cells that can quickly and easily turn any surface into a power source.
These durable, flexible solar cells, which are much thinner than a human hair, are glued to a strong, lightweight fabric, making them easy to install on a fixed surface. They can provide energy on the go as a wearable power fabric, or be transported and rapidly deployed in remote locations for assistance in emergencies. They are one-hundredth the weight of conventional solar panels, generate 18 times more power-per-kilogram, and are made from semiconducting inks using printing processes that can be scaled in the future to large-area manufacturing.
Because they are so thin and lightweight, these solar cells can be laminated onto many different surfaces. For instance, they could be integrated onto the sails of a boat to provide power while at sea, adhered onto tents and tarps that are deployed in disaster recovery operations, or applied onto the wings of drones to extend their flying range. This lightweight solar technology can be easily integrated into built environments with minimal installation needs.
“The metrics used to evaluate a new solar cell technology are typically limited to their power conversion efficiency and their cost in dollars-per-watt,” says Vladimir Bulovic, chair in emerging technology at MIT, leader of the Organic and Nanostructured Electronics Laboratory (ONE Lab), director of MIT.nano, and senior author of a paper on this work in Small Methods. “Just as important is integrability – the ease with which the new technology can be adapted. The lightweight solar fabrics enable integrability, providing impetus for the current work. We strive to accelerate solar adoption, given the present urgent need to deploy new carbon-free sources of energy.”
Traditional silicon solar cells are fragile, so they must be encased in glass and packaged in heavy, thick aluminum framing, which limits where and how they can be deployed. Six years ago, the ONE Lab team produced solar cells using an emerging class of thin-film materials that were so lightweight they could sit on top of a soap bubble. But these ultrathin solar cells were fabricated using complex, vacuum-based processes, which can be expensive and challenging to scale up.
In this work, the team set out to develop thin-film solar cells that are entirely printable, using ink-based materials and scalable fabrication techniques. To produce the solar cells, the engineers use nanomaterials that are in the form of a printable electronic ink. Working in the MIT.nano clean room, they coat the solar cell structure using a slot-die coater, which deposits layers of the electronic materials onto a prepared, releasable substrate that is only 3µm thick. Using screen printing (a technique similar to how designs are added to silkscreened T-shirts), an electrode is deposited on the structure to complete the solar module.
The researchers can then peel the printed module, which is about 15µm in thickness, off the plastic substrate, forming an ultralight solar device.
But such thin, freestanding solar modules are challenging to handle and can easily tear, which would make them difficult to deploy. To solve this challenge, the MIT team searched for a lightweight, flexible and high-strength substrate they could adhere the solar cells to. They identified fabrics as the optimal solution, as they provide mechanical resilience and flexibility with little added weight.
They ended up finding an ideal material — a composite fabric that weighs only 13 grams per square meter, commercially known as Dyneema. This fabric is made of fibers that are so strong they were used as ropes to lift the sunken cruise ship Costa Concordia from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. By adding a layer of UV-curable glue that is only a few microns thick, they adhere the solar modules to sheets of this fabric, forming an ultra-light and mechanically robust solar structure.
Composites
Photo Credit: Pusan National University
Pusan National University researchers introduce method to enhance thermally conductive composites
The proposed method has the potential to control the orientation of composite fillers without surface modification, improving thermal management.
In a new study at Pusan National University, Republic of Korea, Professor Chae Bin Kim and his team have developed a more energy-efficient method to control the orientation of fillers in thermally conductive polymer composites without the need for surface modification, resulting in improvement in thermal conductivity.
Owing to their lightweight nature and flexibility, thermally conductive polymer composites are applied between a heat source and a sink in electronics to dissipate the generated heat to the surroundings. Efficient heat dissipation is achieved due to the use of fillers with certain orientations that facilitate heat flow. The conventional process of modifying the orientation of the filler material, however, is an energy-intensive process that requires the use of electric/magnetic fields and surface modifications that can compromise the filler’s quality and its thermal properties.
The university researchers’ proposed method makes use of thermophoresis, a phenomenon in which a temperature gradient causes solid particles suspended in a fluid medium to move or rotate. To prepare the polymer composite, the researchers suspended thermally conductive hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) filler particles in a UV-curable liquid and coated it between two glass plates. A temperature gradient was applied along the film thickness, causing the filler particles to rotate and realign along the applied temperature gradient. On achieving the desired orientations, the composite was photocured, resulting in a solid composite with fixed filler orientations that form a heat transfer pathway.
“To our best knowledge, the current study is the first experimental demonstration of controlling anisotropic filler orientation using thermophoresis,” Professor Kim says.
Thermally conductive polymer composites such as thermal paste are used in phones, laptops, even in batteries. Considering the growing production of electronics and the expected transition to electric vehicles (EVs), researchers contend that the proposed method has the potential to lower the energy cost of manufacturing thermally conductive polymer composites. Moreover, by avoiding the need for surface modifications, highly efficient thermally conductive polymer composites can be developed for improved heat dissipation and extend the life of electronics.
“Efficient heat dissipating materials can ensure best operating conditions for the device with improved reliability, lifespan and user’s safety,” Professor Kim adds.
Apart from improving thermal conductivity, fillers are also used to alter a composite’s optical, electrical and mechanical properties. By offering a way to reorient the filler without any surface modifications, the proposed method can also be adopted to tune the properties of a wide range of polymer composites without deteriorating their quality.
This research, “Thermally conductive 2D filler orientation control in polymer using thermophoresis” will be published in Volume 117 of Polymer Testing on Jan. 1, 2023.
#composites #PusanNationalUniversity #ConductiveComposites
> source
The proposed method has the potential to control the orientation of composite fillers without surface modification, improving thermal management.
In a new study at Pusan National University, Republic of Korea, Professor Chae Bin Kim and his team have developed a more energy-efficient method to control the orientation of fillers in thermally conductive polymer composites without the need for surface modification, resulting in improvement in thermal conductivity.
Owing to their lightweight nature and flexibility, thermally conductive polymer composites are applied between a heat source and a sink in electronics to dissipate the generated heat to the surroundings. Efficient heat dissipation is achieved due to the use of fillers with certain orientations that facilitate heat flow. The conventional process of modifying the orientation of the filler material, however, is an energy-intensive process that requires the use of electric/magnetic fields and surface modifications that can compromise the filler’s quality and its thermal properties.
The university researchers’ proposed method makes use of thermophoresis, a phenomenon in which a temperature gradient causes solid particles suspended in a fluid medium to move or rotate. To prepare the polymer composite, the researchers suspended thermally conductive hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) filler particles in a UV-curable liquid and coated it between two glass plates. A temperature gradient was applied along the film thickness, causing the filler particles to rotate and realign along the applied temperature gradient. On achieving the desired orientations, the composite was photocured, resulting in a solid composite with fixed filler orientations that form a heat transfer pathway.
“To our best knowledge, the current study is the first experimental demonstration of controlling anisotropic filler orientation using thermophoresis,” Professor Kim says.
Thermally conductive polymer composites such as thermal paste are used in phones, laptops, even in batteries. Considering the growing production of electronics and the expected transition to electric vehicles (EVs), researchers contend that the proposed method has the potential to lower the energy cost of manufacturing thermally conductive polymer composites. Moreover, by avoiding the need for surface modifications, highly efficient thermally conductive polymer composites can be developed for improved heat dissipation and extend the life of electronics.
“Efficient heat dissipating materials can ensure best operating conditions for the device with improved reliability, lifespan and user’s safety,” Professor Kim adds.
Apart from improving thermal conductivity, fillers are also used to alter a composite’s optical, electrical and mechanical properties. By offering a way to reorient the filler without any surface modifications, the proposed method can also be adopted to tune the properties of a wide range of polymer composites without deteriorating their quality.
This research, “Thermally conductive 2D filler orientation control in polymer using thermophoresis” will be published in Volume 117 of Polymer Testing on Jan. 1, 2023.
#composites #PusanNationalUniversity #ConductiveComposites
> source
Composites
Photo
ALUULA Composites selected for future NASA Mars missions
ALUULA Composites, a new advanced materials technology firm is pleased to report that its ultralight and strong composite materials have been selected by Thin Red Line Aerospace for future NASA missions.
ALUULA is supporting Thin Red Line Aerospace’s development of cutting edge, critical application hardware for future NASA lunar and Mars missions. “Their unique range of technical attributes combined with impressive strength to weight ratio specifications, make ALUULA Composite materials very well suited to the demanding requirements of technology in space.” Stated Thin Red Line Aerospace President, Maxim de Jong.
ALUULA Composites uses a patented fusion technology to bond films to a UHMWPE core, resulting in a new generation of performance composite fabrics that deliver unique and superior performance results. This “process, rather than a product” perspective allows for a wide range of iterations to meet a broad range of applications. “We continue to find new and exciting ways in which our process enables and enhances composite materials to satisfy very specific technical objectives, and our work with Thin Red Line is another great example of what is possible with our materials and unique expertise.” Said ALUULA Composites COO, John Zimmerman.
#composites #NASAMarsMissions #ALUULAComposites
> source
ALUULA Composites, a new advanced materials technology firm is pleased to report that its ultralight and strong composite materials have been selected by Thin Red Line Aerospace for future NASA missions.
ALUULA is supporting Thin Red Line Aerospace’s development of cutting edge, critical application hardware for future NASA lunar and Mars missions. “Their unique range of technical attributes combined with impressive strength to weight ratio specifications, make ALUULA Composite materials very well suited to the demanding requirements of technology in space.” Stated Thin Red Line Aerospace President, Maxim de Jong.
ALUULA Composites uses a patented fusion technology to bond films to a UHMWPE core, resulting in a new generation of performance composite fabrics that deliver unique and superior performance results. This “process, rather than a product” perspective allows for a wide range of iterations to meet a broad range of applications. “We continue to find new and exciting ways in which our process enables and enhances composite materials to satisfy very specific technical objectives, and our work with Thin Red Line is another great example of what is possible with our materials and unique expertise.” Said ALUULA Composites COO, John Zimmerman.
#composites #NASAMarsMissions #ALUULAComposites
> source
Composites
Researchers at Rice are pursuing the “sustainable valorization” of asphaltene by turning it into graphene useful for composite materials. Illustration by M.A.S.R. Saadi
Rice University turns asphaltene into graphene for composites
University scientists use novel flash Joule heating process to convert crude oil byproduct into graphene, to then be mixed with composites for thermal, anti-corrosion and 3D-printing applications.
Asphaltenes, a byproduct of crude oil production, are a waste material with potential, according to Rice University (Houston, Texas, U.S.) scientists. Muhammad Rahman, an assistant research professor of materials science and nanoengineering, is employing Rice’s novel flash Joule heating process to convert asphaltenes instantly into turbostratic (loosely aligned) graphene and mix it into composites for thermal, anti-corrosion and 3D-printing applications.
The process is said to make good use of material otherwise burned for reuse as fuel, or discarded into tailing ponds and landfills. Using at least some of the world’s reserve of more than one trillion barrels of asphaltene as a feedstock for graphene would be beneficial for the environment as well.
“Asphaltene is a big headache for the oil industry, and I think there will be a lot of interest in this,” says Rahman, who characterized the process as a scalable and sustainable way to reduce carbon emissions from burning asphaltene.
Rahman is a lead corresponding author of the paper in Science Advances co-led by Rice chemist James Tour, whose lab developed flash Joule heating, materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan and Md Golam Kibria, an assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at the University of Calgary, Canada.
Asphaltenes are 70-80% carbon already, according to Rahman. The Rice lab combines it with about 20% carbon black to add conductivity and flashes it with a jolt of electricity, turning it into graphene in less than a second. Other elements in the feedstock, including hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, are vented away as gases.
“We try to keep the carbon black content as low as possible because we want to maximize the utilization of asphaltene,” Rahman explains.
“The government has been putting pressure on the petroleum industries to take care of this,” Rice graduate student and co-lead author M.A.S.R. Saadi adds. “There are billions of barrels of asphaltene available, so we began working on this project primarily to see if we could make carbon fiber. That led us to think maybe we should try making graphene with flash Joule heating.”
Assured that Tour’s process worked as well on asphaltene as it did on various other feedstocks, including plastic, electronic waste, tires, coal fly ash and even car parts, the researchers set about making things with their graphene.
#composites #graphene #3Dprinting
> source
University scientists use novel flash Joule heating process to convert crude oil byproduct into graphene, to then be mixed with composites for thermal, anti-corrosion and 3D-printing applications.
Asphaltenes, a byproduct of crude oil production, are a waste material with potential, according to Rice University (Houston, Texas, U.S.) scientists. Muhammad Rahman, an assistant research professor of materials science and nanoengineering, is employing Rice’s novel flash Joule heating process to convert asphaltenes instantly into turbostratic (loosely aligned) graphene and mix it into composites for thermal, anti-corrosion and 3D-printing applications.
The process is said to make good use of material otherwise burned for reuse as fuel, or discarded into tailing ponds and landfills. Using at least some of the world’s reserve of more than one trillion barrels of asphaltene as a feedstock for graphene would be beneficial for the environment as well.
“Asphaltene is a big headache for the oil industry, and I think there will be a lot of interest in this,” says Rahman, who characterized the process as a scalable and sustainable way to reduce carbon emissions from burning asphaltene.
Rahman is a lead corresponding author of the paper in Science Advances co-led by Rice chemist James Tour, whose lab developed flash Joule heating, materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan and Md Golam Kibria, an assistant professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at the University of Calgary, Canada.
Asphaltenes are 70-80% carbon already, according to Rahman. The Rice lab combines it with about 20% carbon black to add conductivity and flashes it with a jolt of electricity, turning it into graphene in less than a second. Other elements in the feedstock, including hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, are vented away as gases.
“We try to keep the carbon black content as low as possible because we want to maximize the utilization of asphaltene,” Rahman explains.
“The government has been putting pressure on the petroleum industries to take care of this,” Rice graduate student and co-lead author M.A.S.R. Saadi adds. “There are billions of barrels of asphaltene available, so we began working on this project primarily to see if we could make carbon fiber. That led us to think maybe we should try making graphene with flash Joule heating.”
Assured that Tour’s process worked as well on asphaltene as it did on various other feedstocks, including plastic, electronic waste, tires, coal fly ash and even car parts, the researchers set about making things with their graphene.
#composites #graphene #3Dprinting
> source