- Email: [email protected]
Johns Manville unveils new CSM
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US navy assesses Hardwire composites
A Hardwire composite laminate undergoes flex testing.
COMPRESSION optimized metallic reinforcements from Hardwire LLC are being assessed for potential composites applications at the Naval Surface Weapons Center in Carter Rock, Maryland, USA. Hardwire, of Pocomoke, Maryland, says its latest steel reinforcements (Hardwire™ 3S and 3SX) provide a significantly greater flexural strength and modulus than its previous products. The fibres can either be used as a reinforcement in their own right or together with other fibres such as glass or carbon to produce fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) structures that fail in a ductile manner rather than catastrophically. They can be used with various resin systems including polyester, vinyl ester, modified acrylic, urethane and epoxy for applications in a number of industries. The company says it is now possible to produce composite boats that dent instead of tear open, concrete repairs that survive fire and earthquakes, pressure vessels and pipe that exhibit no long term creep or stress rupture, and wind turbine blades that are lower in weight, faster to make and lower in cost. The steel cords used for the new grades were specially designed by Hardwire in partnership with cord manufacturer Goodyear to provide high
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REINFORCEDplastics
compression strength and increased ductility. The aim was to produce cords with improved stiffness, strength and ductility to enable the production of extremely strong parts that are mouldable like composites yet act more like metal. It is hoped that overcoming the problem of catastrophic failure in composites will open the door to a broader range of applications. “The ability to add ductility to composites is one of the holy grails of the industry,” says Skip Ebaugh, vice president, operations, at Hardwire. “We see Hardwire as a product that will increase the overall usage of composites, not necessarily displace other reinforcements within the existing composites marketplace. If we can combine the benefits that are inherent to composites, combine them with the properties of Hardwire, and take a small portion what was traditionally a steel market we will have done the entire composites industry good.” Working with the navy as the testing partner, Hardwire and Goodyear worked on material, configuration, surface chemistry, and production machinery developments to achieve the desired flexural and compressive strength. Both the 3S and 3SX grades are said to exhibit a metallic-like ductile failure mode, yielding long before ultimate failure, says Hardwire. Furthermore, their ductile behaviour is said to result in a more uniform stress distribution within the laminate during flex. Hardwire LLC; website: www.hardwirellc.com.
November 2003
Colombian cores developed COLOMBIAN core material manufacturer Aurora de Columbia is increasing production of and developing its nonwoven and balsa wood core materials. The company is expanding its North American distribution network after spending a year and a half on market analysis and trials. Its Auromat nonwoven core and Aurobalsa end grain balsa are currently distributed by P&R Advanced Materials of Florida in the USA and Trimar Advanced Materials of British Columbia in Canada.
Forthcoming product developments include a scrimmed and scored version of the Aurobalsa line, which is expected to be launched in January 2004. The company is also working on two core materials named Aurit and Aurel for resin transfer moulding (RTM) processes and applications requiring a low density product with excellent thermal, acoustic and compressive properties. Aurora de Columbia; tel/fax: +57-4-377-5926; e-mail: [email protected]; website: www. auromat.com.
Low styrene marine resins ‘will not blister’ INTERPLASTIC Corp's Thermoset Resins Division has launched a range of low styrene marine resins which it says are highly resistant to blistering and fatigue. The CoREZYN® CORVE8121 LH vinyl ester resins contain a maximum of 35% styrene, enabling boat builders to comply with US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards
governing hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Interplastic says they also meet or exceed all standards for blister and fatigue resistance and comply with standards specific to the state of California which regulate volatile organic compounds (VOC) in high strength resins. Interplastic Corp; website: www.interplastic.com.
Johns Manville unveils new CSM JOHNS Manville Slovakia's latest chopped strand mat (CSM) is said to offer excellent wettability in polyester resins together with good drapability and mechanical strength. CSM ES 22-6 is available in Europe for hand lay-up, resin transfer moulding (RTM) and reaction injection moulding (RIM) processes. The mat is produced with a polyvinyl acetate based emulsion binder, which
is soluble in styrene. This, says the company, makes the mat compatible with all types of polyester resin and makes it suitable for use in complexshaped parts. Resin consumption is also lower than with other products, it adds. CSM ES 22-6 is produced in widths up to 3 m in weights of 225-600 g/m2. Johns Manville; website: www.jm.com.
29/10/2003
14:56
Page 16
US navy assesses Hardwire composites
A Hardwire composite laminate undergoes flex testing.
COMPRESSION optimized metallic reinforcements from Hardwire LLC are being assessed for potential composites applications at the Naval Surface Weapons Center in Carter Rock, Maryland, USA. Hardwire, of Pocomoke, Maryland, says its latest steel reinforcements (Hardwire™ 3S and 3SX) provide a significantly greater flexural strength and modulus than its previous products. The fibres can either be used as a reinforcement in their own right or together with other fibres such as glass or carbon to produce fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) structures that fail in a ductile manner rather than catastrophically. They can be used with various resin systems including polyester, vinyl ester, modified acrylic, urethane and epoxy for applications in a number of industries. The company says it is now possible to produce composite boats that dent instead of tear open, concrete repairs that survive fire and earthquakes, pressure vessels and pipe that exhibit no long term creep or stress rupture, and wind turbine blades that are lower in weight, faster to make and lower in cost. The steel cords used for the new grades were specially designed by Hardwire in partnership with cord manufacturer Goodyear to provide high
16
REINFORCEDplastics
compression strength and increased ductility. The aim was to produce cords with improved stiffness, strength and ductility to enable the production of extremely strong parts that are mouldable like composites yet act more like metal. It is hoped that overcoming the problem of catastrophic failure in composites will open the door to a broader range of applications. “The ability to add ductility to composites is one of the holy grails of the industry,” says Skip Ebaugh, vice president, operations, at Hardwire. “We see Hardwire as a product that will increase the overall usage of composites, not necessarily displace other reinforcements within the existing composites marketplace. If we can combine the benefits that are inherent to composites, combine them with the properties of Hardwire, and take a small portion what was traditionally a steel market we will have done the entire composites industry good.” Working with the navy as the testing partner, Hardwire and Goodyear worked on material, configuration, surface chemistry, and production machinery developments to achieve the desired flexural and compressive strength. Both the 3S and 3SX grades are said to exhibit a metallic-like ductile failure mode, yielding long before ultimate failure, says Hardwire. Furthermore, their ductile behaviour is said to result in a more uniform stress distribution within the laminate during flex. Hardwire LLC; website: www.hardwirellc.com.
November 2003
Colombian cores developed COLOMBIAN core material manufacturer Aurora de Columbia is increasing production of and developing its nonwoven and balsa wood core materials. The company is expanding its North American distribution network after spending a year and a half on market analysis and trials. Its Auromat nonwoven core and Aurobalsa end grain balsa are currently distributed by P&R Advanced Materials of Florida in the USA and Trimar Advanced Materials of British Columbia in Canada.
Forthcoming product developments include a scrimmed and scored version of the Aurobalsa line, which is expected to be launched in January 2004. The company is also working on two core materials named Aurit and Aurel for resin transfer moulding (RTM) processes and applications requiring a low density product with excellent thermal, acoustic and compressive properties. Aurora de Columbia; tel/fax: +57-4-377-5926; e-mail: [email protected]; website: www. auromat.com.
Low styrene marine resins ‘will not blister’ INTERPLASTIC Corp's Thermoset Resins Division has launched a range of low styrene marine resins which it says are highly resistant to blistering and fatigue. The CoREZYN® CORVE8121 LH vinyl ester resins contain a maximum of 35% styrene, enabling boat builders to comply with US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards
governing hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Interplastic says they also meet or exceed all standards for blister and fatigue resistance and comply with standards specific to the state of California which regulate volatile organic compounds (VOC) in high strength resins. Interplastic Corp; website: www.interplastic.com.
Johns Manville unveils new CSM JOHNS Manville Slovakia's latest chopped strand mat (CSM) is said to offer excellent wettability in polyester resins together with good drapability and mechanical strength. CSM ES 22-6 is available in Europe for hand lay-up, resin transfer moulding (RTM) and reaction injection moulding (RIM) processes. The mat is produced with a polyvinyl acetate based emulsion binder, which
is soluble in styrene. This, says the company, makes the mat compatible with all types of polyester resin and makes it suitable for use in complexshaped parts. Resin consumption is also lower than with other products, it adds. CSM ES 22-6 is produced in widths up to 3 m in weights of 225-600 g/m2. Johns Manville; website: www.jm.com.