Researchers have developed an epoxy resin that can be repaired and recycled, in addition to being flame-retardant and mechanically strong. Potential applications range from coating for wooden flooring to composites in aerospace and railways.
Epoxy resins are tough and versatile polymers. In combination with glass or carbon fibers, they are used, for example, to manufacture components for aircraft, cars, trains, ships and wind turbines. Such epoxy-based fiber-reinforced polymers have excellent mechanical and thermal properties and are much lighter than metal. Their weakness: They are not recyclable -- at least not yet.
This is not the case for thermoplasts, such as PET or polyolefins. Their polymer chains lie close together but are not chemically linked to each other. When heated, these polymers can be melted and formed into new shapes. However, because of the lack of crosslinks, their mechanical properties at elevated temperatures are generally not as good as those of thermosets.
"Our vision for the future," adds group leader Sabyasachi Gaan,"is a composite material, in which both the fibers and the plastic matrix can be completely separated and reused." The researcher sees an opportunity in carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics in particular, as they're commonly used in the construction of airplanes, trains, boats, cars, bicycles and more.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
Recycling the non-recyclable: New epoxy resin resists flames and reduces wasteEmpa researchers have developed an epoxy resin that can be repaired and recycled, in addition to being flame-retardant and mechanically strong. Potential applications range from coating for wooden flooring to composites in aerospace and railways.
Consulte Mais informação »
Study observes sudden acceleration of flow, generates new boundary layer -- ScienceDailyIn an experiment on how turbulent boundary layers respond to acceleration in the flow around them, aerospace engineers at the observed an unexpected internal boundary layer.
Consulte Mais informação »
Study uncovers potential new source of genetic mutations that cause neurodegenerative disease -- ScienceDailyAn international team of scientists has discovered an additional potential cause of the genetic mutations that result in rare neurodegenerative conditions such as Huntington's disease.
Consulte Mais informação »
New insights into fighting antimicrobial resistance -- ScienceDailyCooking food thoroughly and avoiding some types of vegetables and salad during a course of antibiotic treatment could potentially reduce antibiotic resistance, by preventing bacteria carrying resistance genes getting into the gut, according to a new study.
Consulte Mais informação »
A new way to identify chiral molecules with light could vastly improve detection efficiency -- ScienceDailyResearchers have proposed a highly efficient method for detecting molecular chirality using tailored laser fields.
Consulte Mais informação »
Energy and heat transfer: A new 'spin' on ergodicity breaking -- ScienceDailyScientists have observed novel ergodicity-breaking in C60, a highly symmetric molecule composed of 60 carbon atoms arranged on the vertices of a 'soccer ball' pattern (with 20 hexagon faces and 12 pentagon faces). Their results revealed ergodicity breaking in the rotations of C60. Remarkably, they found that this ergodicity breaking occurs without symmetry breaking and can even turn on and off as the molecule spins faster and faster. Understanding ergodicity breaking can help scientists design better-optimized materials for energy and heat transfer.
Consulte Mais informação »