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FRP interphase study
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Low weight sandwich promises high strength US COMPANY Moldite Technologies claims to have developed a pultrudable reinforced plastic that can rival steel and aluminium in strength and stiffness properties, at a tenth or less of the weight. The material is said to have good impact resistance, insulation properties and resistance to fire, mildew and environmental attack. Applications are foreseen in conautomotive, industrial, struction, aerospace, marine, military and other sectors. Key to the new product’s properties, says Moldite, is a proprietary process under which the material, complete with fibre reinforced outer faces and a closed-cell foamed core, is
formed during pultrusion. Dry fibre preforms destined for the outer faces of the finished structure are wet out by resin migrating from the core as pultrusion takes place. The core, comprising a resin with filler, cures with a high void content, minimising material weight. The process works with conventional resins such as polyester, epoxy and vinyl ester, and with various reinforcements including glass, aramid and carbon. The finished sandwich material is compatible with added facings of wood, metal, FormicaTM and other laminates. Moldite said to be structurally stable, certain formulations have passed a blow torch
and others can form an effective barrier to liquid nitrogen. Exhibiting high impact resistance, one implementation is said to be more than six times stiffer than steel. The product is easily machined and can reduce tooling substantially. costs Moldite can be pultruded using most standard profiles, and compression moulded. It can be engineered to meet requirespecific application ments and fibres can be disposed strategically within the product to achieve targeted stiffness objectives. Chief executive Dave Peash says that the weight of some structures can be cut by 90% if Moldite is used. “In a recent test,
plastic pallet application,” he reports, “we were able to replace 10 kg of square 3 mm wall steel tube with just 1 kg of Moldite.” Structures of specific gravity less than one can be produced for marine applications where inherent flotation is likely to be advantageous. Other applications under current development include pallets, containers and replacement windows. Moldite Michigan-based Technologies is a joint collaboration between composites developer Moldite Inc and automotive supplier Venture Industries. Dave
RES
No.317 - USE THE FAST NEW ENQUIRY SERVICE @ wwweinforcedplasticcom
20
RElNFDRCEDplastics
May
200
1
or
Dave
tel: +I -81 O-296-8851.
FRP interphase A THREE-year investigation of the chemical, physical and morphological characteristics of the interphase region between different materials is the task embarked on by a research/ industry collaboration in the USA. Greater understanding of behaviour in this crucial zone, where molecules of the two materials interact creating properties that differ from those in either of the two separate phases, is vital to improving the way materials are combined together, as in reinforced plastics. The Consortium on Characterisation and Modelling of the Interface and Interphases of Polymeric Materials and Systems (Polymers Interphase Consortium or PIC for short) has been set up by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and industry partners to carry out the work. PIC will undertake computer laboratory and model tests of polymer blends
Peash
Demurest, Moldite Technologies;
study
and films on various substrates to establish properties at the interface. A better understanding is important if adhesion and other interphase-related characteristics are to be improved. Scientists expect to learn how properties change with processing conditions and diverse external factors including temperatures and humidities. Such information could help manufacturers improve the quality and durability of reinforced plastics, nanocomposites, coatings on plastics, particle filled resins and other multiphase polymer materials. The consortium consists of three NIST laboratories; Building and Fire Research, Chemical Science and Technology and Materials Science and Engineering, and manufacturers from the plastics, paints and automotive parts sectors. Tinh Nguyen; tel: +1-301975-6718; e-mail: tinh.nguyen@ nistgov.
Low weight sandwich promises high strength US COMPANY Moldite Technologies claims to have developed a pultrudable reinforced plastic that can rival steel and aluminium in strength and stiffness properties, at a tenth or less of the weight. The material is said to have good impact resistance, insulation properties and resistance to fire, mildew and environmental attack. Applications are foreseen in conautomotive, industrial, struction, aerospace, marine, military and other sectors. Key to the new product’s properties, says Moldite, is a proprietary process under which the material, complete with fibre reinforced outer faces and a closed-cell foamed core, is
formed during pultrusion. Dry fibre preforms destined for the outer faces of the finished structure are wet out by resin migrating from the core as pultrusion takes place. The core, comprising a resin with filler, cures with a high void content, minimising material weight. The process works with conventional resins such as polyester, epoxy and vinyl ester, and with various reinforcements including glass, aramid and carbon. The finished sandwich material is compatible with added facings of wood, metal, FormicaTM and other laminates. Moldite said to be structurally stable, certain formulations have passed a blow torch
and others can form an effective barrier to liquid nitrogen. Exhibiting high impact resistance, one implementation is said to be more than six times stiffer than steel. The product is easily machined and can reduce tooling substantially. costs Moldite can be pultruded using most standard profiles, and compression moulded. It can be engineered to meet requirespecific application ments and fibres can be disposed strategically within the product to achieve targeted stiffness objectives. Chief executive Dave Peash says that the weight of some structures can be cut by 90% if Moldite is used. “In a recent test,
plastic pallet application,” he reports, “we were able to replace 10 kg of square 3 mm wall steel tube with just 1 kg of Moldite.” Structures of specific gravity less than one can be produced for marine applications where inherent flotation is likely to be advantageous. Other applications under current development include pallets, containers and replacement windows. Moldite Michigan-based Technologies is a joint collaboration between composites developer Moldite Inc and automotive supplier Venture Industries. Dave
RES
No.317 - USE THE FAST NEW ENQUIRY SERVICE @ wwweinforcedplasticcom
20
RElNFDRCEDplastics
May
200
1
or
Dave
tel: +I -81 O-296-8851.
FRP interphase A THREE-year investigation of the chemical, physical and morphological characteristics of the interphase region between different materials is the task embarked on by a research/ industry collaboration in the USA. Greater understanding of behaviour in this crucial zone, where molecules of the two materials interact creating properties that differ from those in either of the two separate phases, is vital to improving the way materials are combined together, as in reinforced plastics. The Consortium on Characterisation and Modelling of the Interface and Interphases of Polymeric Materials and Systems (Polymers Interphase Consortium or PIC for short) has been set up by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and industry partners to carry out the work. PIC will undertake computer laboratory and model tests of polymer blends
Peash
Demurest, Moldite Technologies;
study
and films on various substrates to establish properties at the interface. A better understanding is important if adhesion and other interphase-related characteristics are to be improved. Scientists expect to learn how properties change with processing conditions and diverse external factors including temperatures and humidities. Such information could help manufacturers improve the quality and durability of reinforced plastics, nanocomposites, coatings on plastics, particle filled resins and other multiphase polymer materials. The consortium consists of three NIST laboratories; Building and Fire Research, Chemical Science and Technology and Materials Science and Engineering, and manufacturers from the plastics, paints and automotive parts sectors. Tinh Nguyen; tel: +1-301975-6718; e-mail: tinh.nguyen@ nistgov.