Nanocomposite Material Provides More Fire Protection in a Polymer

Materials scientists from the University of Maryland (UMD) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated that a nanocomposite material provides more fire protection when the extensively and evenly dispersed nanoscale clay plates of clay are in a polymer. In tests conducted on five specimens with varying dispersions of clay plates, but with equal amount of nanoscale filler, the sample that had the widest dispersion was more resistant to burning, igniting and degradation.

The NIST-UMD scientists used a polymer normally used in insulation and packaging products and also in cutlery and other products filled with montmorillonite nanometer scale plates. Montmorillonite is a kind of clay having a sandwich-type molecular arrangement. The montmorillonite clay was filled in the polymer, and the combination lead to a superior material. The team subjected the specimens to a number of flammability tests and characterization methods. The tests provided a comprehensive picture of the dispersion of nanoscale clay plates and the response of the material to heat influx. Studies suggested that the dispersion, stacking or clumping of clay plates in polymers impact the characteristics of the resultant material.

When nanoscale plates of clay were better dispersed they got entangled more easily when subjected to heat. They formed a network structure with fewer gaps and had a lesser likelihood of getting cracked.. The resultant structure was a heat shield that had the ability to reduce flammability and the rate of degradation. Scientists are now exploring other avenues of reducing flammability by using novel techniques and advanced materials.

Dow and Ube Form Joint Venture to Manufacture Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The Dow Chemical Company and Ube Industries, Ltd. (Ube) informed about an agreement to form a joint venture to manufacture and market formulated electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in energy storage applications. The 50-50 joint venture, named Advanced Electrolyte Technologies LLC, is expected to be finalized later this year, pending regulatory approval.

The joint venture complements the growth strategy of Dow’s Energy Materials business by adding formulated electrolytes to an integrated product portfolio that addresses the rapidly expanding energy storage industry.

“The growing demand for alternative energy production and energy storage systems places technologies such as advanced batteries for electric/hybrid vehicles and power generation at the very center of the global mega-trends,” said Heinz Haller, Dow executive vice president and chief commercial officer, “Partnering with an electrolyte industry leader like Ube gives Dow the ability to provide cell manufacturers with a robust offering of material technology that meets demanding battery performance requirements.”

The new joint venture will also allow Ube to strengthen its global supply network and improve cost competitiveness for its electrolyte technology outside of Japan. This will enable Ube to take advantage of other rapidly growing geographical segments with its world class formulated electrolyte technologies. The joint venture’s first manufacturing facility is expected to be built at Dow’s Michigan Operations’ site in Midland for startup in 2012.

BMW M3 CRT Debuts Carbon Fiber Technology

BMW M3 Carbon Fiber Technology debuts new production process for CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) components that are used in the upcoming i3 and i8.

M3 CRT uses the same engine as the M3 GTS Coupe, 450 horsepower at 8,300 RPM and 324 lb-ft torque at 3,750 RPM. Top speed is limited to 180 mph and the carbon-fiber dressed M3 runs to 62 mph in just 4.4 seconds.

The BMW M3 CRT (Carbon Racing Technology) is a limited-edition high-performance sports car based on the BMW M3 saloon and it utilizes carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) to minimize weight. The use of CFRP in the construction of the car helps it achieve a weight-to-power ratio of 3.5 kg per horsepower.

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Boeing Forecasts $150 Billion Market for 1320 New Passenger Airplanes in India

Boeing forecasts a $150 billion market for 1320 new passenger airplanes in India over the next 20 years as the economy aims for double-digit growth, stimulating strong demand for new and replacement airplanes.

"Robust growth with new economic prosperity amongst a massive Indian population, discretionary incomes, business progress and access to airports will increase airplane demand,” Boeing India President Dinesh Keskar said. "In 2011, the economy continues to do well. Indian air carriers are becoming profitable and we expect the GDP to maintain its upward trend in the long-term. As a result, both the air travel and air cargo markets will grow.” Keskar also said that airline revenue and yields were up, but high inflation and volatile fuel prices will play a pivotal role in the health of the industry.

Passenger traffic, which has reached 53.6 million domestic (fiscal 2011) and 13.1 million international, is expected to grow at 8.1 percent annually over the long-term.

“The economic and air-traffic growth will in turn stimulate demand for a variety of aircraft types,” Keskar said. “The need is great for new airplanes that can efficiently and profitably fly short and long-haul routes. This demand is driven by growth in developing and emerging cities, demand from low-cost carriers and the need to replace an aging fleet.”

The biggest demand will be for single-aisle airplanes. In that category is the Next- Generation Boeing 737, the most widely flown jetliner in the world. To keep up with demand, Boeing recently announced it will boost production to a record 42 737s per month by the first half of 2014.

Boeing airplanes currently dominate India’s long-haul international fleet, with 777s and 747s in service, soon to be joined by the 787 Dreamliner. “The super-efficient 787 will offer significant economic improvement for airlines, increased comfort for passengers and better environmental performance,” Keskar said.

India’s airlines have been growing rapidly by taking advantage of geography, demographics, airplane technology and well-coordinated growth and investment plans. Some carriers, like Air India also are looking for replacement airplanes as they retire aging and less-efficient jets. Boeing predicts that India-based airlines also will grow by responding to passenger preference for more flight choices, lower fares and direct access to a wider range of destinations.

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Elastomeric Coating Bag Which Can Protect Planes from Bombs in Passenger Luggage Designed

Academicians from the University of Sheffield working within University spinout company Blastech Ltd and an international team of scientists have designed a bag, which can protect planes from bombs in passenger luggage.

The bag, named the Fly-Bag, features multiple layers of novel fabrics, composites and coatings and is designed to be filled with passenger luggage and then placed in the hold of a plane. If there were a bomb in the luggage in the bag which exploded during the flight, the resulting blast would be absorbed by the bag due to its complex fabric structure, preventing damage to the plane. Fundamental to the design of the bag is the internal elastomeric coating and impregnation of fabric with Shear Thickening Fluids (STF).


STFs work by increasing in viscosity in response to impact. Under normal circumstances, the particles in STFs repel each other slightly, however following sudden impact, the extra energy in the system proves stronger than the repulsive forces, causing the particles to clump together in structures called hydroclusters, which bump into each other, consequently thickening the fluid.

Ahlstrom Starts Production of Specialty Reinforcements for the Wind Energy Market in China

The production of glass fiber reinforcements, which is used among other things to strengthen wind mill blades, will be started by the fourth quarter 2011 at Ahlstrom's Binzhou plant in the Shandong province on China's eastern coast. Ahlstrom will install multiaxial machines to its existing Binzhou site, which currently manufactures transportation filtration materials and employs 170 people.

"China has become a global power house in wind energy and through this investment we can better serve our global and local customers in the country. This gives us a good platform for further growth in the fast growing wind energy markets in China and elsewhere Asia," says Laura Raitio, Executive Vice President, Building and Energy.

The wind energy market is estimated to grow at an annual rate of approximately 15 percent in China in the next five years. In 2010, Ahlstrom's total net sales grew by almost 50 percent in the Asia Pacific-region and the company made an acquisition of a filtration plant and announced a joint venture in China for the production of masking tape substrates and medical papers. In addition, the company announced an investment to wallcover materials manufacturing in China on June 14, 2011.

Ahlstrom's Building and Energy Business Area currently serves the European, North American and Asian wind energy markets from its plants in Mikkeli, Finland and Bishopville, South Carolina, USA.

Defence Minister Shri AK Antony Inaugurates DRDO’s Composite Propellant Processing Facility at Nasik, Maharashtra in India

Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has inaugurated the DRDO’s state-of-the-art composite propellant processing facility – ACEM (Advanced Centre for Energetic Materials) at Nasik in Maharashtra and dedicated the facility to the Nation. “I am happy to dedicate this modern propellant processing facility to the nation. I congratulate all of you for reaching this milestone. I am sure the team of young scientists, guided by their experienced colleagues will deliver world class rocket motors and requirements for various strategic projects. The responsibility of making this facility one of the best in the world and making it Advanced in every sense of the word lies collectively upon all of you”, Shri Antony said in his inaugural speech.

The facility has been set up by HEMRL (High Energy Materials Research Laboratory), a Pune based DRDO laboratory engaged in research and development of high energy materials including solid rocket propellants. Expressing satisfaction that most of the plant and machinery under embargo had been constructed indigenously. He stressed that to be more meaningful and to be sustained for a longer term, the indigenization process must be total and irreversible.

ACEM has been set up as a dedicated facility, to meet the requirements of composite propellants for solid rocket motors during their development phase as well as the limited series production. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and machinery operated remotely through PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), thus, avoiding human exposure to hazardous processes.

DuPont Becomes World’s First Thin Film Solar Module Manufacturer to Earn LEED Gold Rating

DuPont, through its wholly owned subsidiary DuPont Apollo, informed that its Shenzhen, China, production facility has received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification for Existing Buildings, Operations and Maintenance (EB: O&M) from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). According to USGBC records, the facility is the first LEED certified thin-film photovoltaic module production facility and the first LEED-EB certified photovoltaic module manufacturing plant in the world to receive this accreditation. The gold certification is the latest recognition for DuPont Apollo’s environmental initiatives and is consistent with the DuPont goal to help reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. DuPont Apollo specializes in silicon-based thin film photovoltaic solar modules.

“We believe that DuPont Apollo thin-film solar modules should come from a facility designed with environmental responsibility in mind,” said David Chu, chief executive officer -- DuPont Apollo. “We are very pleased to know that our efforts to maximize energy efficiencies in the daily operation of our production facility were recognized by USGBC, and we hope this is one of a number of actions by DuPont Apollo that sets an important example for other businesses. Thinking globally and acting locally to affect positive environmental change helps create a healthier working environment for our employees and the larger community, and becomes a principle that is key to continued, sustainable growth and to reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

Composite Technology Announces Line Installation Project in Scotland

Composite Technology Corporation (CTC) has apprised that Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd (SHETL) has selected and successfully installed ACCC Oslo conductor for a new line between St. Fergus and Peterhead in the northeast of Scotland.

The eleven kilometer, three-phase line operates at 132kV and is strung on a trident wood pole design. Installation of the conductor began in February 2011 and was successfully completed and the line energized in May 2011.

SHETL selected the ACCC 318 mm2Oslo conductor for this line because of its ability to run at higher temperatures than conventional conductors, bringing increased capacity to the line.

Stewart Ramsay, President of CTC Cable Corporation, commented: “We are very pleased that SHETL selected ACCC conductor for this project. We believe that the superior performance of ACCC conductor, including its higher capacity and the lowest line losses on any conductor available today, will bring real benefits to both the transmission company and its customers, and will contribute towards the UK meeting its CO2 emission reduction targets. We look forward to working with SHETL on other transmission network projects in the future.”

SHETL Group Design Manager Landel Johnston said: “This project is a significant investment in the electricity transmission infrastructure in Scotland, ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply for years to come. We are always looking at innovative solutions and new developments within the industry worldwide and are delighted to be the first in the UK to install the ACCC® conductor on this strategic project in Scotland. It has been selected for this installation and will form part of an ongoing assessment as a possible future alternative for our numerous reconductoring projects if the technology proves cost effective operating on our network.

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REpower and Alerion CleanPower Sign Contract for 44 Megawatt Wind Farm Project in Italy

REpower Systems SE and Alerion CleanPower Spa, an Italian-based renewable energy company, signed a contract for a wind project in the South of Italy. REpower will deliver 13 3.4M104 wind turbines to San Marco in Lamis, a 44 megawatt (MW) wind farm situated north-east of Foggia. The turbines will have a rated output of 3.4 megawatts and a hub height of 80 meters each. REpower is responsible for supplying, installing and commissioning the turbines. The company will also provide service in line with a twelve years service agreement with Alerion CleanPower.

San Marco in Lamis wind farm is located close to REpower Italia’s main service center near Foggia and will be maintained directly from there. The Italian-based subsidiary of REpower Systems SE will start construction as early as the fall of 2011.

Andreas Nauen, CEO of REpower Systems SE, is pleased that REpower’s 3.XM series is well accepted on the Italian market: “This is the second contract for the 3.4M104 in Italy. It confirms the excellent market-fit of this turbine and strengthens our market presence in Italy.”

Carlo Schiapparelli, Managing Director of REpower Italia S.r.l., comments, “We are delighted to be working with Alerion again. Our first project, Ordona, with 17 REpower MM92 turbines was completed in 2007. This second project confirms that Alerion – an important client for REpower Italia with a high level of renewable energy expertise – regards us as reliable supplier.”