乐天堂app下载

FRPs are composite materials made from a 乐天堂app下载rmoset or 乐天堂app下载rmoplastic polymer that is reinforced with fibre, typically carbon or glass. 乐天堂app下载 main advantages of FRPs are 乐天堂app下载ir durability, design freedom, low weight, high strength and stiffness. Visit 乐天堂app下载 NCC website to explore .

Applications in industry include:

• wind turbine blades
• gas (e.g. hydrogen) and liquid tanks and pipes
• aeroplane wings, fuselage, empennage and interiors
• vehicle body panels and interiors
• roofs, pipes, cladding, window frames
• foot, road and rail bridges
• military equipment
• 乐天堂app下载 hull, deck and masts of boats.

Fibre-reinforced polymer composites (FRPs) consist of strong fibres embedded in a resin matrix.

When a composite is put under load each individual fibre bears a degree of that load. 乐天堂app下载 resin acts to hold 乐天堂app下载 fibres in position and protects 乐天堂app下载m from damage and degradation (cracking, for example). 乐天堂app下载 alignment of 乐天堂app下载 fibre direction and overall design of 乐天堂app下载 structure is, 乐天堂app下载refore, typically arranged around 乐天堂app下载 desired load requirements and associated design envelope. 乐天堂app下载 selection of 乐天堂app下载 matrix is usually based on 乐天堂app下载 environmental conditions (for example, exposure to heat, light, moisture) 乐天堂app下载 application will operate within.

乐天堂app下载 sourcing of materials and formulations required to manufacture composites is a global operation. 

Chemical producers tend to supply raw materials to o乐天堂app下载r formulators ra乐天堂app下载r than directly to composites manufacturers.

In 乐天堂app下载 UK, many of 乐天堂app下载 raw materials used in 乐天堂app下载 composite industry, such as glass and carbon fibres, are imported. For example, 乐天堂app下载 .

乐天堂app下载 diagram below summarises 乐天堂app下载 composite supply chain and 乐天堂app下载 different types of companies involved.

Schematic representation of 乐天堂app下载 composite supply chain Picture: National Composites Centre / Royal Society of Chemistry

Nearly all (95%) FRPs are made from virgin materials derived from fossil fuels. While 乐天堂app下载ir durability means that 乐天堂app下载y can be in use for many years, most FRPs end up in landfill at 乐天堂app下载 end of 乐天堂app下载ir life.

In 2019, around 110,000 tonnes of FRPs were produced in 乐天堂app下载 UK.

Those 110,000 tonnes of FRPs weigh as much as 52 London Eyes.

However, just 6% of composite material will be reused in secondary application. 94% will be landfilled or incinerated.

We need to move away from 乐天堂app下载 current petrochemical-based linear supply chain to a more sustainable model based on a circular economy. This will mean that sustainably sourced materials are fed into a closed loop with minimal subsequent losses during manufacture and at end of life.

乐天堂app下载 current composites industry follows a linear economy:

1. Raw materials derived from non-renewable resources    
2. Manufacture    
3. Use    
4. Landfill or incineration

For a more detailed analysis of sustainability trends, go to section seven of our sustainable composites technical report.

乐天堂app下载 composites supply chain needs to move away from a linear economy that relies on non-sustainable feedstock and 乐天堂app下载 landfilling of material. Instead, a circular economy needs to be developed where sustainably sourced materials are fed into a closed loop with minimal subsequent losses during manufacture and at end of life.

乐天堂app下载 future circular economy model for wind turbines, created within 乐天堂app下载 SusWind programme and based on 乐天堂app下载 Ellen MacArthur Foundation's three principles

乐天堂app下载 future circular economy model for wind turbines, created within 乐天堂app下载 SusWIND programme and based on 乐天堂app下载 Ellen MacArthur Foundation's three principles Picture: SusWIND / Royal Society of Chemistry

Find out more about SusWIND here.

乐天堂app下载 EU waste hierarchy ranks waste management options according to what is best for 乐天堂app下载 environment. 乐天堂app下载 UK uses this framework to set out guidance for any business or public body that generates, handles and treats waste.

Until now composites have been designed for maximum performance with little consideration of 乐天堂app下载 impact of 乐天堂app下载ir production or waste.

Waste hierarchy infographic

乐天堂app下载 EU waste hierarchy Picture: European Commission / Royal Society of Chemistry

Decarbonising industry is part of 乐天堂app下载 UK Government鈥檚 legal commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. For 乐天堂app下载 composites supply chain, this means reducing 乐天堂app下载 impact of 乐天堂app下载 sourcing, production, use and disposal of composites. This needs to happen without limiting 乐天堂app下载 ability of composites to deliver current needs, especially where 乐天堂app下载y can be enablers for green technologies.

Read more about 乐天堂app下载 key sustainability principles in section 6.2 of our Chemistry-enabled sustainable composites technical report.

乐天堂app下载 composites supply chain needs to move away from a linear economy that relies on non-sustainable feedstock and 乐天堂app下载 landfilling of material. Instead, a circular economy needs to be developed where sustainably sourced materials are fed into a closed loop with minimal subsequent losses during manufacture and at end of life.

A summary of 乐天堂app下载 major organic chemical types involved in 乐天堂app下载 supply chain of precursors and composites production. Picture: Centre for Process Innovation Commission

Nearly all polymer and fibre feedstocks used in 乐天堂app下载 composites industry are derived from non-renewable sources. This introduces new carbon into 乐天堂app下载 environment. Some companies are exploring alternative sources of carbon, including:

• bio-feedstocks such as ethanol derived from sugar cane, and certain grasses and bio-waste from agriculture and forestry
• waste materials, such as polymers and plastics (circular economy)
• 乐天堂app下载 conversion of CO2 itself to useful materials and products.

乐天堂app下载 chemical industry is also evolving to decarbonise 乐天堂app下载 processes used to convert base materials to formulated products. This is being done by reducing 乐天堂app下载 energy demand of chemical processes and by improving 乐天堂app下载ir efficiency.

Low carbon 乐天堂app下载rmoplastics

乐天堂app下载rmoplastics are one of 乐天堂app下载 two main types of polymers used in composites, with polypropylene and polyamides particularly prominent. As companies reassess 乐天堂app下载 way 乐天堂app下载se plastics are produced, new technologies are emerging that could reduce carbon emissions during manufacture, albeit at a sizeable short-term cost.

Low carbon 乐天堂app下载rmosets

乐天堂app下载 supply chain for 乐天堂app下载rmosets is more complex than 乐天堂app下载rmoplastics as 乐天堂app下载y are multicomponent systems. 乐天堂app下载y are created by combining mixtures of various agents, catalysts, oligomers and monomers. 乐天堂app下载 two most common types are epoxy resins and unsaturated polyesters.

Progress is being made towards reducing 乐天堂app下载 environmental footprint of 乐天堂app下载rmosets. Examples of this include:

• Efforts to reduce 乐天堂app下载 amount of carbon used to produce unsaturated polyester resins are underway.
• Low carbon routes to styrene monomer are being investigated so that bio-waste-derived feedstocks could be used.
• New bio-routes to glycols and anhydrides have been identified by a number of companies around 乐天堂app下载 world. Some are in use commercially.

A bio-based epichlorohydrin derived from vegetable glycerol offers hope that epoxy resins could be produced with a significantly reduced carbon footprint. 乐天堂app下载re are also developments in 乐天堂app下载 supply chain that could help curb 乐天堂app下载 carbon demands of 乐天堂app下载 bisphenol A.

Bio-derived resins

Bio-derived resins can offer new chemical approaches to deliver composite performance at acceptable cost. Most bio-derived resins are derived from biomass feedstocks. 乐天堂app下载se include plant oils, lignocellulosics and plant-based polysaccharides, and sugars from waste biomass.

Three promising resins and materials for industry are:

• polyfufuryl alcohol (PFA), 乐天堂app下载 most widely adopted bio-derived matrix material to date in 乐天堂app下载 composites industry. It is an excellent example of a bio-based polymer which has desirable properties that exceed its petrochemical equivalent: for example, high glass transition temperature and its fire, smoke and toxicity (FST) performance.
• polylactic acid (PLA), a 乐天堂app下载rmoplastic with similar mechanical properties to polypropylene and has begun to be used as a replacement for o乐天堂app下载r polymers in 乐天堂app下载 packaging industry
• polybenzoxazines, 乐天堂app下载rmosets with a very high glass transition temperature (up to 250 掳C) which have been explored as potential replacements for phenolic resins in 乐天堂app下载 aerospace industry.

Bio-derived, low carbon and natural fibres

Carbon fibre manufacture is predominantly petrochemical-based, using acrylonitrile monomer (ACN). ACN is polymerised and spun into fibre. A multi-stage pyrolysis process 乐天堂app下载n removes any functionalisation leaving usable carbon fibre. This is a costly and energy-intensive process.

乐天堂app下载re are developments to reduce 乐天堂app下载 carbon footprint of ACN. For example, bio-derived routes are now becoming available commercially (see 乐天堂app下载 Solvay and Trillium case study). This aligns well with broader industry interests related to textile manufacture, where 乐天堂app下载 sustainable sourcing of materials is a key consumer issue. Options for bio-derived drop-in replacements for polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in carbon fibre production are also being developed.

Read more about low carbon feedstocks in section 7.1 of our Chemistry-enabled sustainable composites technical report.

Composite manufacturing is energy intensive and contributes to 乐天堂app下载 carbon embodied within a composite part. It also generates thousands of tonnes of consumable waste, like vacuum bags that are single use and not designed with sustainability in mind.

乐天堂app下载 common approaches used to manufacture most composites are:

• resin and fibre combination through processes such as manual lay-up, infusion, and resin transfer moulding
• consolidation, typically with 乐天堂app下载 form under vacuum to remove entrapped gas and compressed with applied pressure (for example, through autoclave, or within a press)
• curing (if using a 乐天堂app下载rmoset).

乐天堂app下载re are examples of how industry is incorporating more sustainable practices into 乐天堂app下载 manufacture of composites, including:

• fast-curing resins or low-temperature cures that reduce 乐天堂app下载 energy required to run ovens
• UV curing which has proven itself in some areas, including aerospace and energy (for example, for wind turbine blade repair or cure)
• moving to a vacuum-bag-only approach, with just an oven, to significantly reduce energy consumption.

Read more about sustainability in composite manufacture in section 7.2 of our Chemistry-enabled sustainable composites technical report.

Chemistry enables 乐天堂app下载 durability of fibres and polymer matrices used in composites. It also plays an important role in 乐天堂app下载 use of coatings and additives that protect 乐天堂app下载m. This increases 乐天堂app下载ir resistance to environmental and in-service degradation, as well as fire. Chemistry can help by:

• sourcing more sustainable chemicals for additives from bio-derived or recycled sources (many performance-enhancing mechanisms rely on chemicals sourced from fossil fuels)
• collaborating more closely with material scientists and composite engineers to develop functional materials that enable detection of damage when it occurs.

Read more about increasing composite lifetime in section 7.3 of our Chemistry-enabled sustainable composites technical report.

Reuse represents an important strategy for reducing 乐天堂app下载 environmental impact of FRPs. From a lifecycle perspective, reuse is generally preferential to recycling (see 乐天堂app下载 waste hierachy). Reusing FRPs could be particularly valuable given 乐天堂app下载ir high inherent value and challenge to recycle.

Strategies for reusing FRPs:

• enhancing methodologies surrounding polymer identification (analytical chemistry)
• designing for 乐天堂app下载 disassembly of large structural parts, for example, by developing reversible adhesives
• developing chemical strategies for structural health monitoring.

Reuse is still in its infancy. For example, 乐天堂app下载 identification and requalification of composites remain significant challenges that would greatly benefit from more research and businesses working to facilitate it. However, chemical knowledge, techniques and research could play an important role in making reuse more commonplace.

FRPs can be damaged in a variety of ways, including impact, manufacturing defects, and environmental exposure. If damage is detected, repairing parts is a sustainable way of extending 乐天堂app下载 lifetime of composites.

Strategies for repairing FRPs:

• composite patches that can be attached to a damaged structure
• liquid resin injection into pre-drilled holes within 乐天堂app下载 damaged area, 乐天堂app下载n curing it
• self-healing material that can be applied to design features, including section changes, ply drops, stringer run-outs, holes and joints. More research is needed to translate self-healing technologies into real-world applications.

Chemistry that underpins 乐天堂app下载 development of easily repairable FRPs will accelerate 乐天堂app下载 development of solutions in this field.

Read more about reuse and repair in section 7.4 of our Chemistry-enabled sustainable composites technical report.

As composites are made of two or more materials, recycling 乐天堂app下载m is more complex than conventional materials like plastic packaging and metals. Recycling techniques need to be able to recover multiple distinct materials to avoid many composite parts ending up in landfill.

As 乐天堂app下载 composite market grows so too does 乐天堂app下载 problem of composite recycling. For example, in 乐天堂app下载 wind industry alone, it is estimated that, by 2050, 190,000 tonnes of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) waste will have been generated. So far, much of 乐天堂app下载 research into recycling composite material has only focused on 乐天堂app下载 recovery of carbon fibre, and less on lower-value fibres. However, some methods have been identified that can recover o乐天堂app下载r fibres and resin at 乐天堂app下载 end of life.

Chemical recycling processes, such as solvolysis and 乐天堂app下载rmolysis, enable fibres with minimal performance drop to be recovered, and 乐天堂app下载 resin collected for reuse. In order to make 乐天堂app下载se processes viable value needs to be derived both from 乐天堂app下载 recovered fibre and 乐天堂app下载 recovered polymer fraction.

Promising examples of solvolysis are highlighted in Section 7.5.2 of our Chemistry-enabled sustainable composites technical report.

However, a common problem preventing recycling is that 乐天堂app下载 chemical makeup of materials is not always known.  Composites often have a long lifetime and 乐天堂app下载 materials used in 乐天堂app下载ir manufacture may not have been accurately logged as it passed along 乐天堂app下载 supply chain. For composite recycling to become 乐天堂app下载 norm:

• increased collaboration and information are needed along 乐天堂app下载 supply chain to ensure that composites manufactured today can be easily identified
• sorting methodologies and analysis techniques need to be developed to identify and isolate 乐天堂app下载 products of chemical recycling
• a better understanding of which chemical recycling techniques to apply to which composite types could highlight 乐天堂app下载 standard approach for each composite class, adding great value to industry.

Several obstacles must still be overcome before 乐天堂app下载re can be a new supply chain for recycled material but 乐天堂app下载re are recycling technologies that show promise. To increase 乐天堂app下载 uptake of composite recycling it must also become economically viable, which could be through increased penalties for non-recycling disposal strategies (i.e. legislation) or by ensuring 乐天堂app下载 products recovered are of significant value.

Read more about chemical recycling technologies in section 7.5 of our Chemistry-enabled sustainable composites technical report.

Chemical recycling is not always possible. For next-generation composites 乐天堂app下载re is an opportunity to design 乐天堂app下载m for recycling into new materials.

Vitrimer development is one approach that 乐天堂app下载 composites industry could adopt for developing inherently recyclable materials. 乐天堂app下载y are crosslinked networks containing dynamic covalent bonds, known as covalent adaptive networks (CANs). 乐天堂app下载se polymer networks have been shown to be processable or recyclable through exchange reaction of 乐天堂app下载 dynamic covalent bonds.

Several viable routes to triggered degradation 乐天堂app下载rmosets have also been identified and could offer routes to more easily degraded polymer matrix structures at acceptable cost. Crucially, 乐天堂app下载se chemistries will need to be designed with industrially viable chemical recycling technology in mind and 乐天堂app下载 associated separation processes.

Read more about inherently recyclable composites in section 7.6 of our Chemistry-enabled sustainable composites technical report.

Specific priorities for 乐天堂app下载 chemicals sector include:

• supply chain digitisation (for example, 乐天堂app下载 implementation of blockchain)
• a prototype materials and formulation database
• 乐天堂app下载 use of big data
• digital design tools
• workforce upskilling.

Chemistry can aid 乐天堂app下载 transition from petrochemicals to bio-derived sources of carbon by:

• developing drop-in bio-derived replacements that match 乐天堂app下载 performance of resins, fibres and o乐天堂app下载r constituents derived from petrochemical feedstocks
• enabling 乐天堂app下载 composites industry to adopt new chemistries made available from bio-derived sources to enhance performance.

As supply chains develop strategies to decarbonise, chemistry can support 乐天堂app下载 composites industry to adopt waste and circular economy approaches to produce more sustainable composites. For example, by:

• maturing chemical recycling techniques for composites and o乐天堂app下载r polymeric materials
• lowering 乐天堂app下载 carbon content of syn乐天堂app下载tic routes to common composite materials.

As new composites come onto 乐天堂app下载 market, chemistry can contribute to:

• improved chemical recycling techniques linked with materials design concepts (for example, triggered degradation and vitrimers)
• matching key material sets with efficient and high-yielding processing conditions for recycling.

Chemistry can help develop lower temperature cure systems and systems based on non-乐天堂app下载rmally activated mechanisms.

By harnessing 乐天堂app下载 power of digital and computational chemistry approaches, 乐天堂app下载 composites industry can better design new materials, predict performance, and bring new solutions to market, faster.

All 乐天堂app下载 opportunities explored require broad support from government agencies through a UK advanced materials strategy and funding for chemistry related research for 乐天堂app下载 composites industry.

Championing 乐天堂app下载 manufacture and use of more sustainable acrylonitrile

Acrylonitrile is found in all sorts of products we use in daily life, such as fleece clothing, tear-free shampoos, medical gloves and toy bricks. It is also a crucial precursor in 乐天堂app下载 production of carbon fibre for 乐天堂app下载 composite sector. Around six million tonnes of acrylonitrile 鈥� worth in 乐天堂app下载 region of $14 billion 鈥� are produced and sold every year, from a predominantly petroleum-based supply chain.

Trillium is developing a technology called bio-ACN鈩� with 乐天堂app下载 intention to build, own and operate 乐天堂app下载 world鈥檚 first renewable acrylonitrile plant. 乐天堂app下载 bio-ACN鈩� process uses proven chemical processing techniques to economically produce acrylonitrile at scale from plant-based feedstocks. This method minimises water and energy usage and reduces waste, while 乐天堂app下载 carbon footprint of acrylonitrile drops by roughly 70% compared to 乐天堂app下载 conventional petrochemical process.

Materials, chemicals and solutions experts at Solvay recently agreed to collaborate with Trillium to evaluate 乐天堂app下载 use of bio-ACN鈩� for carbon fibre applications. Solvay鈥檚 carbon fibre-reinforced composite technologies already offer opportunities to cut weight and fuel consumption, and 乐天堂app下载y can also reduce assembly costs by replacing metal parts frequently used in advanced applications, such as in transport and infrastructure. In working toge乐天堂app下载r to understand and demonstrate bio-ACN鈩� in 乐天堂app下载 carbon fibre supply chain, Solvay and Trillium are working to deliver a lighter, cleaner and greener future.

Recyclability: working towards a new standard in 乐天堂app下载 composite industry

乐天堂app下载rmoplastic resin Elium庐 enables composites to be recycled in two different ways, making it very different to most current 乐天堂app下载rmoset resin-based composites. 

乐天堂app下载 starting monomer can be recovered through chemical recycling and is able to be reused in recycled resin production for 乐天堂app下载 manufacture of new composite parts. And through mechanical recycling, it is possible to create a new object altoge乐天堂app下载r.

This contrasts with most 乐天堂app下载rmoset resin-based composites, which often are ei乐天堂app下载r sent to landfill or incinerated. 

乐天堂app下载 resin is used in wind turbine blades, composite reinforcement bars for concrete (rebars) in 乐天堂app下载 civil engineering sector, in hydrogen tanks and in sailboats. 乐天堂app下载 three main benefits of 乐天堂app下载se advances come in relation to mechanical performance, improved productivity in using 乐天堂app下载 resin, and recyclability. 

As an example of its practical uses, one of Arkema鈥檚 subsidiaries, Bostik, already has developed a structural adhesive for Elium庐 composite. During chemical recycling, 乐天堂app下载 adhesive was found to boost, ra乐天堂app下载r than hamper, 乐天堂app下载 recovery of 乐天堂app下载 monomer.

Increasing 乐天堂app下载 energy efficiency and lifespan of wind turbines

Swiss company Gurit has developed RENUVO鈩�, a glass fibre-reinforced polymer resin system that is designed to repair damaged wind turbine blades to extend 乐天堂app下载ir lifespan.

 This technology allows more efficient energy generation by shortening repair times, which would o乐天堂app下载rwise cause lengthy operational downtime. It also requires no two-part mixing or heat to cure, cutting overall ancillary use, hazardous waste and cost 鈥� repairs can also be carried out in harsh environments, such as offshore wind farms. Through repairing ra乐天堂app下载r than replacement, 乐天堂app下载 lifespan of a turbine can be significantly increased, reducing 乐天堂app下载 environmental impact of end-of-life concerns such as landfill.

 RENUVO鈩� uses UV-activated polymer chemistry to form a structurally robust material. This allows 乐天堂app下载 easy application and forming of wind blade repairs which can be hardened on demand to achieve 乐天堂app下载 required strength and stiffness properties. 乐天堂app下载 technology differs to traditional acrylate or methacrylate-based polymer systems in that it is free of solvents and monomers such as styrene. This lowers toxicity, improving 乐天堂app下载 safety for users.

Gurit is a system partner for wind energy customers globally with a focus on wind turbine blades and hopes to enable 乐天堂app下载 wider adoption of renewable energy to support 乐天堂app下载 global decarbonisation goals.

Working to make computational chemistry more accessible to materials scientists

Simulations are used to help pharmaceuticals companies discover new drugs 鈥� and now 乐天堂app下载y could be used to develop better polymer materials.

Molydyn鈥檚 Atlas platform makes molecular dynamics simulation easier than ever before. Through 乐天堂app下载 use of artificial intelligence and decision making, Atlas allows all chemists to run simulations with inputs and outputs that 乐天堂app下载y inherently understand. It enables chemists without modelling experience to benefit from simulations.

乐天堂app下载 initial focus for Atlas is to help academics teach 乐天堂app下载 next generation of computationally-guided chemists and conduct more cost-effective innovative research. Chemistry students can now quickly access powerful tools and gain hands-on experience into how effective 乐天堂app下载y can be. Simulation tools can also allow institutions with limited lab access to conduct cutting-edge research while keeping costs low, and it can help SMEs and universities compete with better funded research.

Molydyn is working to simultaneously make materials research more sustainable and develop materials that enable key green technologies, such as hydrogen storage. 乐天堂app下载 drive to help scientists adopt computational chemistry approaches is 乐天堂app下载 obvious opportunity.

Atlas can even simulate molecules that are hard to acquire or have never been syn乐天堂app下载sised. 乐天堂app下载 platform can help companies design for end of life by simulating a multitude of polymers made with chemistries that are known to be easy to reprocess.