Graphene Epoxy - Page 3

CPI spin-out Primary Dispersions has formed a group that aims to commercialize specialist graphene based epoxy resins for the aerospace industry. Companies in the group include Bombardier, B/E Aerospace, NetComposites, The Institute of Occupational Medicine, and Nanoforce Technology.

The project will develop a top-down technique and synthesis platform which can efficiently and cost effectively produce graphene-reinforced epoxy resins on a scale that allows for market adoption, since as of now, there are no such techniques suitable for large-scale production of graphene based epoxy resins.

The Sixth Element Materials, a Chinese company that focuses on R&D, mass production and sales of graphene and related materials, showcased its graphene-zinc anti-corrosion primer used for offshore wind power tower, that can come at a competitive price compared with zinc rich epoxy primer.

The Sixth Element owns 50 & 300 t/year production lines for graphene oxide and graphene powder. Their products range from enhanced graphene, energy storage type graphene, to thermal conduction type graphene and anti-corrosion type graphene.

Haydale's subsidiary Haydale Composite Solutions (HCS), has entered into a collaborative 18 month research project awarded and managed by the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) and involves two end users, Airbus UK and BAE Systems. The research project aims to produce a material less likely to be damaged by lightning strike on an aircraft.

Carbon fiber composites are used extensively in aircraft applications such as fuselages, leading edges and wing surfaces. However, because the carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite materials are poor conductors of electricity they are prone to damage caused by lightning strike. The aim of this new project is to develop highly electrically conductive epoxy resins through the addition of functionalized graphene which, when combined with conductive carbon fiber, is expected to result in a highly conductive carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite material capable of withstanding lightning strike.

A collaboration between researchers from Cardiff University and Haydale conducted a study focused on component-scale hierarchical composites using nanocarbons, mainly graphene and CNTs. The team's main aim was to explore techniques for component-scale manufacture of hierarchical composites by liquid infusion.

A plasma process, developed by Haydale, was adopted for controllable functionalization of large batches of nanocarbons (100s of grams) prior to mixing with epoxy resin. A rheological study indicated that filler morphology, functionalization and fill weight all have an effect on epoxy resin viscosity. Using these developed nanocomposite resins, a resin infusion under flexible tooling (RIFT) technique was developed. Resin flow studies informed an optimum setup that facilitated full wet-out of large area UD carbon fibre laminates and the resulting materials showed significant improvements in mechanical properties, demonstrating up to ~50% increase in compression after impact (CAI) properties.

Haydale announced its intention to enter a collaborative agreement with Alex Thomson Racing the HUGO BOSS sponsored extreme sailing team. Haydale, through its newly acquired subsidiary EPL Composite Solutions Limited, will work with ATR to incorporate graphene enhanced materials in their Research and Development program to improve overall strength and stiffness of a number of key structures within the ATR boat. Through incorporating new graphene enhanced materials in their future boat designs - ATR are seeking to keep their vessel light to ensure optimum speed without compromising on strength.

The initial work will include an immediate review to ascertain weight saving opportunities. In particular the parties are keen to make use of the recent work done by Haydale in adding their functionalised HDPlas® Graphene Nano Platelets (GNPs) into both Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic ("CFRP") and epoxy resins.

Haydale published a research showing that its functionalised graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) significantly improve the nanoreinforcement of resin. This research was conducted conducted by the Material Science Department at AeroSpace Corporation.

According to the report, graphene can significantly strengthen toughened epoxy composites. The reported increases are >2x in tensile strength and modulus of an epoxy composite using a number of Haydale's HDPlas O2-functionalised GNP. The addition of increasing amounts of GNP resulted in strength increases of over 125% and toughness improvements of 100% over that of similarly cured, unreinforced material.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota in collaboration with Adama Materials managed to create a highly durable graphene-plastic compound. They say that by adding a tiny amount of graphene, the plastic toughness was increased by about 2.5 times.

This research started two years ago and the researchers are now seeking to refine to process so it can commercialized. The process they develops starts by adding chemical groups on the graphene surface so it bonds better to the epoxy they are using. Then they disperse the graphene in a liquid and pours it into molds and it hardens into the plastic.

The UK Technology Strategy Board launched a new collaborative R&D project called NanoSynth with a budget of almost a million GBP ($1.5 million USD) - to develop a synthesis platform for the industry-scale production of graphene-filled epoxy resins for advanced composite applications.

According to the NetComposites, the project coordinator, those graphene epoxy resins will improve current resins and will feature better strength, stiffness, toughness, electrical conductivity and thermal performance. The new resins may prove to have a significant impact on a wide range of markets, including the aerospace and automotive ones. The worldwide yearly market of epoxy resins is estimated at over $15 billion.

Xolve signed an agreement with London's NTT Carbon Fiber Group to co-develop products for the aerospace industry. Xolve's graphene will be combined with NTT's epoxy resins and these new materials could be used to produce products such as airplane parts or even an airplane wing. This is just an early research work however, and Xolve says it could take anywhere from 18 months to give years till this is commercialized.

Back in 2010 Xolve raised $2 million, and the company is working to commercialize intellectual property that enables simple room temperature processing of graphene and other nanoparticle composites, solutions and coatings. You can read an interesting interview with the company's R&D VP here.