Carbon Fiber Technology Center - Oak Ridge National Laboratory

In order for the full utilization of carbon fiber in automotive applications. (Which is necessary to lower weight.) The cost of raw carbon fiber needs to decrease. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is taking on this challenge using $34.7 million in DOE ARPA funding; they are establishing a Carbon Fiber Technology Center. According to their website:

The center will be capable of producing up to 80 tons per year of low-cost carbon fiber for evaluation and use by industry and government partners. Primary equipment will include a thermal (conventional) carbon fiber conversion line and a melt-spun precursor fiber production line. Space and utility provisions are planned to add an advanced technology conversion line.

The overall goal of this technology center is to lower the cost of carbon fiber 50%. This could be a major breakthrough not only to the automotive industry in gaining better fuel efficiency, but many other applications of carbon fiber where high-strength and lightweight is crucial.

Photo Credit: ORNL

Related Posts:

Composite Material: Carbon Fiber Composite Running Legs

Composite Material: Carbon Fiber UAV

Composite Material: Boron Fiber - Superior to Carbon

Can I sell carbon fiber without an export license? - Composite ...

Composite Material: Carbon Fiber Roller Skates

Defense Armor Funding - 2011 Requests

2010 was a fantastic year for defense appropriations for composite companies, in particular, composite armor received substantial funding. Even though it is only April, Senators are beginning to announce their 2011 requests. Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky announced some of his requests, and looks like 2011 will be another stellar year for composite armor funding. Below are Bunning's related requests:

Project: De-Weighting Military Vehicles through Advanced Composites Manufacturing Technology

Amount Requested: $3,200,000

Recipient: MAG Industrial Automation Systems

Location: Boone County, KY

Description:  This is a research and development project for manufacturing of a machine to produce lighter-weight parts for military vehicles.  The project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it advances technology that delivers light-weight materials that improve fuel efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced combat readiness.

Project: Enabling Optimization of Reactive Armor 

Amount Requested: $5,000,000

Recipient: Ensign-Bickford Aerospace and Dynamics

Location: Muhlenberg County, KY

Description: These funds will be used to develop a replacement for current reactive armor used by the Army which will be reduced in weight, meet new threats, and increase overall safety. 

Project:  New Specialty Resins for Advanced Composite Armor

Amount Requested: $2,000,000

Recipient: Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc.

Location: Jefferson County, KY

Description: Funds will help develop a new range of matrix resins that address shortcomings in existing composite ballistic armor systems.  Achieving a better balance of properties will advance composite toughness, enhance fire, smoke, and toxicity performance to help our servicemen and women. 

Project: Tactical Mobility Consortium (TMC)

Amount Requested: $8,000,000

Recipient: University of Kentucky Research Foundation and M2 Technologies

Location: Fayette County, KY

Description:  The requested funding will advance years of aggressive research and development with the Marine Corps to deliver a critical force protection capability to the warfighter, allowing our military to provide the technical expertise required to assess the intended and unintended impacts of emerging technologies within the context of expeditionary warfare.  

Hopefully the military is actually requesting this research...

Source and Photo Credit: Senator Jim Bunning

Related Posts:

Spider Web Composite Armor - Biomimicry - Composite Material Blog

Composite Material Information: Composite Armor gets Big Defense ...

Shell Armor - Biomimicry Composites - Composite Material Blog

Dyneema in Composite Armor - Composite Material Blog

Composite Armor Manufacturing - Composite Material Blog

Lightweight Composite Armor - Composite Material Blog

Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

The clip above demonstrates why the new Joint Strike Fighter needs to be as lightweight as possible. Carbon fiber is undoubtedly playing a role in reducing the weight. I caught a fascinating NOVA episode on the competition between Lockheed and Boeing in designing the F-35. It goes into a surprising amount of detail of the composite construction and even discusses how Boeing attempted to use a thermoplastic matrix. If you have Netflix, you can watch it instantly for free, or you can get the episode from Amazon below:


I highly recommended anyone interested in aerospace composites or this military program to check it out.

Related Articles:

Composite Material Blog: Composites and Boeing

Composite Material Information: Boeing Workers - Playing with ...

Composite Material Blog: Boeing, Dreamliner, and Composites

Composite Material: Airplane Bomb Protection: Composite Materials

Aluminum Bats vs Composite Bats

Composite baseball bats are gaining popularity in softball and little leagues world wide. Using carbon fiber and epoxy, these composite bats are said to have such good performance, that they are now banned for use in NCAA play. Much like other composite products, the big draw to the bats is their lightweight yet powerful capabilities.

What is interesting though, is that while most composite products dread delamination and fiber-breakage, composite bats desire it. It is said that composite bats get better with use. The theory goes, as fiber breaks and delaminates in the bat barrel, the bat becomes more flexible producing more power when you hit the ball.

In 2008, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell put this to the test. Although their sample size was relatively small, they concluded:

"A set of six “high-performance” composite baseball bats and one aluminium baseball bat were tested to see how their respective batted-ball performances would evolve with use. None of the bats showed a significant change in the resulting batted-ball-speed performance using the NCAA BESR performance testing protocol. Three of the six baseball bats failed with less than 100 hits—implying that some of the composite bat designs are not durable."

A high-end composite bat, weighing less the 30oz, can retail for over $300... Not too shabby.

Photo Credit: ertemplin via flicker

Related Articles:

Composite Material: Composite Bats Not Allowed in NCAA

Composite Material Blog: Stealth Wind Turbines - Using Composite ...

Composite Material: Riversimple Urban Car - 300 mpg - (Composite Body)

Life Cycle Assessment

We have talked before about life cycle assessment (LCA) of products manufactured with composite materials. Here is a paper discussing the life cycle of a surfboard. A surfboard is more or less a composite sandwich structure. The core is either a polyurethane foam core or eps foam core. A wood stringer is added down the center for stiffness. The skins are generally woven 4oz fiberglass, often 2 layers on top and one on the bottom. Resin is epoxy or more commonly polyester.

In the life cycle analysis paper, the author cites more carbon emissions are created driving to and from the beach then the life of the surfboard will ever produce. Recently, companies have been experimenting with greener surfboard materials. In particular, bio-based resins, fabric, and foam. However, at least from a greenhouse emissions point of view, the composite construction of the board is a moot point in comparison to the emissions surfers generate driving to the beach.

I imagine similar studies for other products manufactured with composite materials will find similar statistics. It also exemplifies that we need greener transportation, and composites will play a role in reducing automotive weight and increasing fuel efficiency.

Photo Credit: Hot Tamale Surfboards

Related Articles:

Composite Material: Recycling Composite Materials

Composite Material Blog: Composite Cargo Shipping Containers

Composite Material: Composite Armor gets Big Defense Funding

Composite Material: New Composite Building System for Haiti

Composite Material: Recycled Glass Bottle Composite Table

Composite Material: Spider Silk is the Next Reinforcing Fiber

Composite Material: Shape Memory Composite

DARPA Composite Armor Development

Some great warfighter technologies come out of the DARPA. Here is a synopsis for the development of composite armor with private company Hardwire.

"In collaboration with the U.S. Army, the Hardwire® DARPA Armor program exploited unique hybrid composite materials in innovative geometries and systems to provide improved military vehicle armor protection at a significantly reduced weight compared to other technologies. This approach to armor design has provided a suite of armor solutions that can be tailored to meet mission and vehicle-specific weight and performance requirements in response to specific and emerging threats. New insights and infrastructure for armor manufacturing has changed hybrid, composite armor production from a labor-intensive, small-quantity process to a quality-controlled, high-throughput operation. The program applied automated high-precision production fabrication technologies to adaptively and rapidly produce panels to specification and at a cost comparable to that of traditional armor. These changes in the composite armor design and production paradigm have made life-saving armor systems available for warfighter vehicles"

 Related Posts:

Composite Material: Composite Armor gets Big Defense Funding

Composite Material: Spider Web Composite Armor - Biomimicry

Composite Material Blog: Composite Armor Companies Get More Funding

Composite Material: Dyneema in Composite Armor

Composite Material Blog: Shell Armor - Biomimicry Composites

Composite Material Blog: Composite Armor at the Superbowl

Composite Material Blog: Composite Armor Manufacturing

Boeing 787 Dreamliner - Composite Materials

The composite industry as a whole is interested in the success of Boeing's new 787; it is one more step towards mass acceptance of composite materials. Despite all the problems and the current 28 month delay in production, in the end, the weight savings on the 787 will help contribute to a 20% fuel efficiency.

Here is a great post by MIT's Technology Review on the problems and the future of the Dreamliner. A worthwhile quick read for anyone following the 787 saga.

Photo Credit: Dave Sizer via flicker

Related Articles:

Composite Material Blog: Large Carbon Fiber Structures...

Composite Material Blog: Do jet engines use composite materials?

Composite Material Blog: What composite materials are people ...

Composite Material Blog: Carbon Fiber Composite Running Legs

Green Composite Material Gets Funding

According to earth2tech.com, New York based company e2e materials has raised $3 million in funding. The company, a spin-out from Cornell University, "is a clean technology company in Ithaca, New York that produces petroleum-free, biodegradable composites that are stronger, lighter and cheaper than composites filling landfills today." This is according to their website.

Now the claim of cheaper and lighter may have some merit, but saying their products are stronger then "composites filling landfills today" might be a stretch. Granted, there are many composite materials this product is stronger then, but the composites people think of most often, FRP composites, fiberglass and carbon fiber in particular, it is doubtful a bio-based composite has near the structural properties.

This being said, I am all for green composite materials and bio-based composites. The composite industry and the world needs to move in this direction as a whole. There are a myriad of applications natural fiber reinforcement is ideal for, however, we are still a long ways away from natural fiber replacing fiberglass, carbon, or aramid fibers. Hopefully e2e Materials and their new funding will help lead this charge.

Photo Source: e2e Materials

Related Articles:

Composite Material Blog: Biomimicry of Composite Materials

Composite Material Blog: Spider Silk is the Next Reinforceing Fiber

Composite Material Blog: Best Composite Material Salesman: Your ...

Composite Material Blog: UAVs and Composite Materials

Composite Materials in the Winter Olympics

It's no secret, technology can help win gold medals at the Olympics. During this coming winter Olympics composite materials will play a large roll. Composites will be used in skis, snowboards, bobsleds, luges, lightweight aerodynamic helmets, ski poles, hockey sticks, and perhaps even curling equipment.

In racing events where seconds can be the difference between a gold medal and not placing at all, a technology equipment advantage could be the deciding factor. Here is an article about a small composites company in Canada which has designed a snowboard for the giant slalom out of carbon fiber. By dialing in the weight, shape, flex pattern, and balance, they are hoping their snowboards will be that difference to when a medal at home.

Not only will composite materials be used during competition, but Canadian aerospace company Bombardier has manufactured the torches out of composites (I'm guessing carbon fiber). In all, they manufactured 12,000 torches, you can see it here.

Photo Credit: Webdevil666 via flicker

Related Articles:

Composite Material Blog: Boeing Workers - Playing with Composite ...

Composite Material Blog: New Composite Research Center for medical ...

Composite Material Blog: Can I sell carbon fiber without an export ...

Composite Material Blog: Composite Bats Not Allowed in NCAA

Shell Armor - Biomimicry Composites

Here is a new study on a deep water sea snail who has an amazing shell. It lives by geothermal vents so it experiences extreme fluctuations in temperature and acidity. Yet in this highly corrosive environment this snail shell still provides protection from predators.

It is no surprise that researchers are looking at this type of shell to provide insights for new armor. Biomimicry is one of my favorite topics here as there is much we can learn from mother nature. She has after all been inventing and modifying for millions of years.

What other "animal armor" is out there that perhaps we should look at? Take the desert tortoise for example, much like a Humvee in Afghanistan the tortoise's armor needs to be lightweight, strong, and withstand the harsh environments.

Photo Credit: Ken Wilcox via flicker

Related Articles:

Composite Material Blog: Lightweight Composite Armor

Composite Material Blog: Composite Armor Updates

Composite Material Blog: Composite Armor gets Big Defense Funding

Composite Material Blog: Dyneema in Composite Armor

Why we need composite materials?

The continued integration of lightweight composites into automotive and transportation will help alleviate the United Sates dependence on foreign oil. In particular, the US dependence on foreign oil supplied by unstable nations (as seen in the map above.)

Composite materials integrated into aerospace, automotive, trucking, and mass transit will all have fuel saving benefits. Additionally, products manufactured with composites will require less energy to transport or ship then traditional materials.

Related Articles:

Composite Material Blog: UAVs and Composite Materials

Composite Material Blog: Carbon Fiber Composite Running Legs

Composite Material Blog: Lightweight Composite Armor

Composite Material Blog: U. Maine's Composite Bridge Technology

Composite Cargo Shipping Containers

Composite cargo shipping containers have always been seen as a no-brainier. They are lighter weight, they are well insulated, and they are non-corrosive. Above is a video of a new (2016 Update, video was removed from youtube) composite cargo shipping container manufactured by a Dutch company. (Skip to 1min mark). This container is collapsible, which is an additional advantage.

Other not so obvious advantages of using composite materials in a shipping container include:

- Transparency, x-ray and other scanning equipment can be used by Homeland Security to inspect as ports.

- Tracking, RFID and GPS tracking systems can be easily embedded in the skins.

- Floating, surprisingly many see-land containers fall off cargo ships in rough conditions and during loading/unloading at port. Supposedly, current containers have a neutral buoyancy and float out of view just under the surface; which is a serious hazard to boats. A composite container would float and allow for easy retrieval.

The major downside to composite shipping containers is their initial costs. This particular container is said to be 3 times more expensive then a steel container. Cost justification with a tangible savings/payback needs to be evident for wide adoption. Additionally, I believe manufactures need to have a well planned end of life solution. Undoubtedly these containers will be damaged beyond repair, and a recyclable solution is needed. Current steel containers are scrapped easily for recycling, and composite containers would need the same.

Related Articles:
Composite Shipping Container

Composite Armor gets Big Defense Funding

The US government is starting to put a good deal of money behind composite material research and development. Just a few weeks ago 2010 Defense budget was accepted, and with this came a good deal of special composite material projects, some of which I have discussed before here. In addition, here are some more announcements of composite related defense funding (almost all for composite armor):

- University of Delaware has been awarded $1,600,000 to spur the development of the next-generation composite technologies to support advanced watercraft that will be faster, stronger, stealthier, less costly, field repairable, have longer service life, and are up-armor capable to operate. Source

- The University of Delaware will additionally receive $3,200,000 for continued research to allow the Army's Composites Applied Research and Technology Center to successfully insert more durable, modular, lighter and protective composite armor and structures into its tactical vehicle fleets more quickly and affordably. Source

- INVISTA S.a.r.l. will receive $3,200,000 to increase the safety and protection of soldiers' uniforms with improved flame resistant, durable, lower cost materials to protect against Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs). Source

- Armor Dynamics is set to receive $1.6 million to develop advanced composite and reactive armor. Source

- $3.9 million for Tex Tech Industries to produce Ballistic CORE Technology. The Ballistic CORE Technology project provides enhanced protection for troops against fragmentation from blasts and a variety of bullets. Source

- $1.6 million for Hodgdon Defense for research and development to reduce structural weight for high-speed composite craft through the use of lightweight composite materials. Source

- $5.3 million for the University of Maine in Orono. The appropriations funding will support critical programs to include the LGX High Temperature Acoustic Wave Sensors, woody biomass conversion to JP-8 Fuel, ballistic protection for remote forward operating bases, and cellulose nanocomposite technology to support operating base infrastructure and troop protection. Source

- $320 million for the Warren-based Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center and its National Automotive Center. That money will support such research into protecting Army vehicles against rocket propelled grenades and other explosives, strengthening combat and tactical vehicle armor, and developing fuel cell and hybrid electric vehicles. Source

- $3.2 million for Air Products to develop stronger and lighter composite armor for military vehicles Source

- $1.6 million for Bosch Rexroth Corporation in Lehigh County to develop a suite of simulators capable of screening and evaluating new materials, light weight structures, and high value subsystems and components on both wheeled and tracked vehicles. Source

- $1.6 million for Lawrence Technological University to develop and test stronger, lighter vehicle armor. Source

In addition to the DoD appropriations bill finding, the Army Research Labratory's is providing a $15 million Army contract to the University of Dayton Research Institute for composite armor systems from the future. Source

Did I forget any other government funding for composite armor?

Photo credit: nevada tubleweed via flickr

Dyneema in Composite Armor

Dyneema is an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fiber manufactured by Dutch company DSM Dyneema. The properties of Dyneema, which include high tensile strength, allow it to be one of the best performing reinforcements used in composite armor. Composite armor manufactured with Dyneema is often lighter-weight then other material options; which is why Dyneema is used on military vehicles across the globe.

Here is an interesting interview with Ivo Oerlemans, Marketing Manager Vehicle Protection at DSM Dyneema from defpro.com. It worth the read if you are following the composite armor industry.

Photo Credit ob1left via flicker

Composite Shipping Container

Since the advent of composite materials, and in particular, strong lightweight composite sandwich panels, engineers have been trying to replace the commonly used steel sea-land ISO shipping containers with composite materials.

It seems logical, steel shipping containers are extremely heavy, they spend a good deal of their life in a highly corrosive environment, and they don't last very long. However, the main barrier to entry is the fact that steel cargo containers are dirt cheap, especially as the majority of these containers are manufactured in low labor Asian markets.

As the raw material costs of steel rise, composite materials will have more of a realistic chance. In particular, niche composite containers such as refrigerated containers will likely be the first to be introduced.

Here is an article discussing a development program through the Department of Homeland Security for the design of composite tamper-proof containers. Besides the need for containers to be tamper proof for homeland security reasons, containers that are x-ray transparent will be easier to inspect at ports. Composite material is the viable long-term solution.

It is likely the use of composite shipping containers is inevitable. One aspect that must be kept in the forefront during the design process, is the containers' end of life. Current steel containers are easily recyclable, and the same will need to be true of composite replacements. Perhaps reinforced thermoplastic composites will be the design winner...

Photo Credit: Marc oh! via flicker

Russia Leader in Nano Composites?

President Dmitry Medvedev fo Russia said in a speech last week that Russia is on its way to becoming a leader in nanotechnology, citing a nanocomposites facility in Russia. News Europe quoted the president saying:

"Medvedev noted that the current volume of the products manufactured with the use of nanotechnologies is estimated at $250 billion. Citing expert estimates, Medvedev said the global nanotechnology market could reach a huge $2 trillion to $3 trillion by 2015."

I wonder if Medvedev is talking in dollars or rubles?

Photo Credit: quinn.anva via flicker

New Humvee Door Design

Here is an article from Defense News talking about new BAE Systems armor kits for the Humvee and how they reduce weight by 500 lbs. (Which actually doesn't seem like that much). What I found most interesting in the article, is that they redesigned the doors which:

"feature front and rear doors that swing open like cabinet doors, providing combat troops front- and rear-armor protection."

Most all military vehicle doors open like conventional automobiles, in parallel. However, it makes perfect sense to reverse this. The doors, up armored with composites, act as shields and protect from the front and rear.

I am willing to bet money this will save more then one life, and it is often the simple ideas which can have a great impact. Perhaps in other military and composite applications designers and engineers should take a step back, and question why.

Photo Credit: US Army Military Command via flicker

Reducing Aviation Emissions

Interesting article by MITs Technology Review on how the aviation industry can reduce global warming emissions. Obviously, using lightweight composite materials is a start; further carbon reductions can come from improved logistics, improved wing/airplane design, and using bio-fuels.

Read the article here.

Photo Credit: Rob Shenk via flicker

Lightweight Composite Armor

Pictured above is the results from a roadside bomb in Iraq that killed 14 US marines. It should be a reminder that while US troops are fighting overseas, they need to be best protected and armored.

Lightweight composite armor, as discussed before here, here, and here, is playing an important role in troop protection and mobility. Troops need to be protected at the highest level, yet they cannot be overburdened or slowed down by excess weight.

One of the largest US manufacturers of composite armor is Hardwire LLC, they were ranked in the September edition of INC Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies. In a press release from today, Hardwire announced that they plan to double there manufacturing capacity.

In related news, Army Times is reporting that the Army is considering developing a lighter version of the Abrams battle tank. Currently, the Abrams tank weighs in at 75 tons and the new tank would have a goal of 60 tons. Lightweight composite armor would undoubtedly be mandatory in this new tank design.

Additionally here is a press release about General Dynamics new Stryker vehicle. This too would utilize lightweight composite armor.

With no definite end to conflict abroad creating a continued demand from the military, it is no wonder companies like Hardwire are expanding.

Photo Credit : nukeit1 via flicker

UAVs and Composite Materials

In the latest cover story in Popular Science Magazine, an interesting article is dedicated to drones used by the Air Force and the training of the pilots. From this article, the following were the most interesting quotes:

"At this moment, dozens of armed drones circle miles above insurgents, watching everything in real time, with resolution sharp enough to read a license plate"

"More than a third of the 200 Predators delivered to date have crashed catastrophically, due to both aircraft malfunction and human error."

This timely article is coinciding with the largest Unmanned Aerial Vehicle conference currently going on in DC, The AUVSI's Unmanned Systems. At this trade show, demonstrations of UAVs are going on, with the largest advancements being: surveillance/communication equipment, advanced propulsion, and advanced aerostructures/increased payloads.

Composite materials are playing a crucial role in the bodies and wings of these vehicles, particularly autoclaved carbon components. Weight must continue to drop thus allowing these aircraft's to carry more equipment / weapons, and stay in the air longer.

As this relatively young industry continues to mature, advances in composite tooling, out of autoclave production, and new composite materials will help transform the next generation UAVs and drones.

Other interesting recent articles:
Xconomy
NY Times

Photo Credit: Army.mil via flicker