JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #63 - March 2011 - 69

Multi-sector

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) need to be available in a well manageable form and maximized concentration to take advantage of their exceptional characteristics. Invent GmbH successfully developed such a material with an exceptionally high CNT content of 50 up to 60%. This composite is based on a polymer matrix with embedded CNT. The commercial aspects related to effective processing and cost-efficient production were considered right from the outset. The powdery material can be pressed into each requested form and is then cured for hardening. The hardened parts are suitable for all established mechanical procedures. The main characteristics of the material are a high electrical and thermal conductibility, high stiffness and low density of only 1.3 g/cm³. Surface treatments such as metallization and lacquering are also possible. Parts with an extremely high absorption capacity can be produced by use of special treatments.Users may be provided with raw material and hardened components for testing purposes. The expansion of production for commercial applications will be considered at a later stage.

Nabaltec offers a broad range of viscosity-optimized ATH products for the production of flame-retardant materials based on liquid resins. These Nabaltec products comply with the strictest standards. In many cases, the flame resistance of the material is important, but the smoke development must also be low in case of a fire. To achieve both, high loadings of ATH are recommended. The decisive parameter in processing highly filled resin compounds with technologies like SMC, BMC, hand lay-up or pultrusion is their viscosity. With growing loads of Apyral®, the relative viscosity of a resin will clearly increase. The extremely high loadings required to comply with the most stringent standards can only be achieved when viscosity-optimized ATH grades are used. Those grades, including Apyral® 20X, Apyral® 30X, Apyral® 22, and Apyral® 33, are characterized by a broad but defined particle size distribution. In closed-mould processes like RTM, large particles in the resin compound can lead to difficulties like filtration effects. Finer ATH particles in the range of 6-11 µm should help to reduce this phenomenon. Furthermore, a higher specific surface area of the mineral flame retardant should offer advantages such as superior flame retardancy for a resin compound. The low viscosity of the mixture must be maintained, however. Nabaltec is currently developing new products to meet such conflicting requirements. www.nabaltec.de

Multi-sector

Ultra-lightweight carbon non-crimp fabrics

Multi-sector

Innovative CNT material for industrial applications

Multi-sector

Viscosity-optimized Apyral for high flame retardancy
The picture shows the powdery raw material and the resulting panel with a partiallymodified surface to increase its absorption capacity.

> Booth J64

New products from Czech Republic

> Booth Q37

5M is a major manufacturer of raw materials for composite production (epoxy resins, semipregs, pultruded profiles, sandwich panels). Backed by its in-house laboratory and R&D department, 5M is starting to be more active in the production of final composite parts. The product assortment covers composite sandwich panels for trains (interior walls),

glass-fibre parts for aircraft (interior panels, fuselage parts, wheel covers), radomes for antennas, bulletproof equipment and carbon parts for skis. Building upon other successes in the previous year, 5M, the Czech composite industry’s leading company, received the prestigious Company of the Year 2010 award, which was accepted by 5M Managing Director Antonin Zelinka at a ceremony broadcasted live on a public TV channel.
www.5m.cz

www.invent-gmbh.de

> Booth M81

At its headquarters in the Venice area, Selcom SRL Multiaxial Technology recently installed the latest version of the Liba Max5 CNC textile machine for the production of ultra-lightweight multiaxial reinforcements from larger carbon tow. In addition to its standard carbon, glass, aramid and basalt non-crimp fabric range, Selcom will now offer engineered fabric solutions to markets like aerospace, automotive, infrastructure, marine, wind energy, and sporting goods. The solutions are aimed at reducing the weight of composite structures, thus enhancing performance. The Italian manufacturer will also present its line of stitch-bonded uni-, bi-, tri- and quadriaxial fabrics composed of natural fibres. This innovative line was especially developed for the production of new composite sandwich panels and laminates made of eco-friendly and renewable materials (bio-composites). To highlight its multidisciplinary approach in facing business challenges and opportunities, Selcom is also displaying its optimized Sentex sensorized NCF fabrics, a sensor-embedded textile structure suitable for the reinforcement, strengthening and monitoring of civil infrastructures and masonry vulnerable to natural catastrophes like earthquakes. In 2010, Selcom and its partners from the European Polytect Research Project were rewarded at the JEC show in Paris for their "Composite Seismic Wallpaper", as the best innovation of the year in the building and construction sector. www.selcom-srl.com

No63 March 2011 / jec composites magazine
> Booth T40

69

Special JEC Show 2011
http://www.invent-gmbh.de http://www.5m.cz http://www.nabaltec.de http://www.selcom-srl.com
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #63 - March 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #63 - March 2011
