JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #140 - May/June 2021 - 60

L-9060 FST EDGE FILLER FOR EASY
AND CLEAN APPLICATION
Traditional fire, smoke and toxicity (FST) ambient-curing edge
fillers for aerospace applications are heavily filled to provide
lightness (syntactic foam) and FAR/JAR 25 853 compliance.
Consequently, the materials are pasty, dry, and the two
components are difficult to mix. The compounds are then difficult to
apply properly on the edges of a sandwich panel.
L&L Products developed L-9060, a new FST edge filler with a 0.55
density available in dual-barrel cartridges. This packaging can
be used with a standard 400ml gun and the two components are
blended automatically in a nozzle, minimizing the risk of mistakes.
The material can be easily applied to the panel's edges. After
being smoothed, it is hard enough after three hours' curing at room
temperature to be milled or sanded for a perfect finish before paint.
The unfinished cartridge can be stored at room temperature for
further use. This product can be used for finishing all types of interior
sandwich panels. It helps to improve safety as operators are not in
direct contact with the material. The material is REACH compliant,
has a low odour and does not contain CMR substances. Thanks to
its waste-reducing packaging, the buy-to-fly ratio is optimized. This
new product is also suitable for use with a metering pump when
the volume justifies using pails. Its low density helps to reduce
the fuel consumption and CO2
emissions of aircraft, while its FST
properties improve safety on board. A version is being developed for
rail applications. www.llproducts.com
RTV2 SILICONE RUBBERS
FOR REUSABLE MEMBRANES
Zhermack SpA. developed the RTV2 silicone rubbers for reusable
membranes used in the vacuum infusion process. These materials
offer high mechanical characteristics, high dimensional stability,
self-bonding properties (a second layer can be cast within 24
hours after casting the first layer) and good chemical resistance
against polyester, vinylester, etc. Their mixing ratio is 1:1 mainly, but
also 10:1. The company also produces RTV2 addition silicones that
cure with platinum, RTV2 condensation silicones that cure with tin,
and body casting alginate. www.zhermack.com
COMPLETING COMPOSITES
WITH RED FIRE PROTECTION
COATINGS
In 2020, Finnester Coatings introduced their
innovative fire protection coating technology to
the whole composites
market, along with the
opening of a new fire
testing laboratory to
support this activity.
Marketed as the RED
product range, these
coatings protect all
types of composites (and some thermoplastics), utilising
a combination of novel ceramification technology with
controlled intumescence. They provide surface fire
protection, as well as heat and smoke emission control,
which is particularly important to ensure compliance
with the regulations required by the transport and
construction sectors. The thermal insulation properties
of RED are also showing considerable promise for
applications such as pressure vessels, battery casings
and for offshore uses.
RED coatings are easy to apply by standard spray-coating
techniques or may also be integrated into composite
production (e.g. as gelcoats or in the filament winding
process). They give a high-quality finish, meeting the
customer's colour, gloss and surface requirements. They
are already in commercial use for outdoor applications
in extreme environments, including uses on commercial
shipping and for bridges and utility poles.
A key advantage to RED coatings is that they protect
composites against fire without sacrificing the
composite's characteristics. Composite manufacturers
can continue to use their own perfected composite
structures, and effectively complete them by applying
RED in order to meet fire protection requirements.
www.finnester.fi
R&D
CARBO4POWER: A NEW GENERATION OF OFFSHORE TURBINE BLADES
According to the Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy published this year, EU's ambition is to build 300GW of offshore wind turbines by 2050 to
meet the requirements for a climate-neutral energy sector. To increase power production, more sophisticated materials and processes are required
for the development of better-performing wind and tidal blades in terms of size, efficiency and end-of-life. Carbo4Power aims to produce a new
generation of lightweight, high-strength, multifunctional digitalized materials for offshore wind and tidal turbine blades by decreasing costs and
introducing novel materials aiming at recycling up to 95% of the blade. The innovative concept is based on the use of nano-engineered hybrid (multi)
materials and their intelligent architectures to improve blade repairability, re-processability and recyclability. In addition, developments in lightning, de-icing
and biofouling strategies are currently under evaluation to improve the properties of blades in both above and underwater environments. Manufacturing
optimisation, segmentation
and structural health monitoring (SHM) to create pathways for the future development of modular blades and to
tackle current limitations in logistics and maintenance are considered, including design and finite element analysis from the nanomaterial level to full-scale
modelling. This project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 953192.
www.nanolab.chemeng.ntua.gr
60
jec composites magazine / No
140 May - June 2021
Wind energy
Multi-sector
Multi-sector
Multi-sector

http://www.llproducts.com http://www.zhermack.com http://www.finnester.fi http://www.nanolab.chemeng.ntua.gr

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #140 - May/June 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #140 - May/June 2021