Carbon Nanotubes in Epoxy Resin

[lancelots]

So what’s the consensus on carbon nanotubes in epoxy resin for hulls these days
Nanocyl
Carbon Nanotubes Leader : Nanocyl is the global leader and specialist in carbon nanotubes technology. We provide high-quality Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) technologies that improve the properties plastic composites applications. Nanotube Nanotechnologies a





EPOCYL™

Epoxy resin systems for structural conductivity, strength and durability, and weight reduction for lighter, fiber-reinforced composite materials used in aerospace, automotive, marine and sports applications.
EPOCYL™is the brand name of Nanocyl’s range of epoxy resins modified with carbon nanotubes. These advanced resins incorporate the newest developments of our integration technology to provide the maximum performance benefits of carbon nanotubes inside fiber-reinforced composite materials.
Over the years, Nanocyl has acquired extensive knowledge of the production and the modification processes of carbon nanotubes.
Nanocyl’s approach is very well integrated from the production of CNTs to the development of formulated products. Using this advantage, Nanocyl commercializes products for the thermoset resin-based composite materials market.
For each line of products, you’ll find information about either mechanical reinforcement properties, or electrical/antistatic properties. Every product comes with processing recommendations. Our Technical Support Team can help you with specific questions about your application.

BIOCYL™
BIOCYL™ is Nanocyl’s trade name for a range of eco-friendly, fouling release paints designed for all major marine coating applications, such as ship hulls, oil rigs, and underwater intake valves.
BIOCYL’s unique nanostructure, based on silicone resins containing multi-wall carbon nanotubes, prevents common marine organisms from adhering to coated surfaces. This means barnacles and ulva will drop off BIOCYL-coated surfaces as soon as there is a water flow or disturbance equal to a ship moving at 4 knots or more.
In contrast with the current coatings used for marine applications, BIOCYL™ is non-toxic. The anti-fouling properties are not caused by the toxicity of the coating, but instead come from the nanostructure of the BIOCYL coating surface.
Field trials have also confirmed that BIOCYL’s performance is even better in many cases than the performance of current toxic anti-fouling technologies.
However, it is important to note that the performance of BIOCYL™ is dependent on Nanocyl’s proprietary dispersion technique and selection of primers. Using this methodology properly will help achieve perfect adhesion to substrates, and the best fouling release results.

[David M]

Not sure. Carbon fibers strength comes from the very strong strands. Are these nano-tubes connected to each other in relatively long strands?

[lancelots]

They don’t appear to be and you still use the long strands (possibly not as much), I think it has some thing to do with their surface texture that locks them in together, a bit like the blue metal in concrete slabs; you still need the reinforcing steel mesh but without the aggregate (stones) it’s as weak as, it has a lot to do with compression strength as well as tensile strength as it gives the glue something else to bond to.

[PAR]

I haven't read up on the latest offerings from the few manufactures that are playing with this technology, but there usefulness in composite panels is unquestionable. At this point a considerable amount of research still needs to be done, a general education on nanotubes, the different types, how they work in an epoxy (and other resin systems) matrix, etc., all need to be explored by the industry.

In other words, I know what they are, I understand the various types and am aware of the physical properties and that pre-pegs are in use at the very high end, but from a practical point of view?

[lancelots]

What is a Carbon Nanotube?



A Carbon Nanotube is a tube-shaped material, made of carbon, having a diameter measuring on the nanometer scale. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, or about one ten-thousandth of the thickness of a human hair. The graphite layer appears somewhat like a rolled-up chicken wire with a continuous unbroken hexagonal mesh and carbon molecules at the apexes of the hexagons.


Carbon Nanotubes have many structures, differing in length, thickness, and in the type of helicity and number of layers. Although they are formed from essentially the same graphite sheet, their electrical characteristics differ depending on these variations, acting either as metals or as semiconductors.


As a group, Carbon Nanotubes typically have diameters ranging from <1 nm up to 50 nm. Their lengths are typically several microns, but recent advancements have made the nanotubes much longer, and measured in centimeters.

[PAR]

Nothing personal Lancelots, but I think the links are more then sufficient. Most folks can't comprehend the sizes, let alone the physical attributes in an epoxy matrix.

Currently the longest (single wall) nanotube are around 8", which is in itself interesting, but most focus has been on electrical and electronic application. The stiffest multi wall tubes are impressively strong, yet still suffer from compressive weakness (buckled tubes). I think their use as molecular diodes or capacitors is more promising then common use in a 40' cruiser in the next decade.

In fact the most promising (IMO) for this stuff is as energy storage.

[Blue Stocking]

Think chopped strand mat saturated with resin, just many times stronger.
Read an article recently on this, can't remember where, think it was in a boating mag.

[lancelots]

“PAR
Nothing personal Lancelots, but I think the links are more then sufficient. Most folks can't comprehend the sizes, let alone the physical attributes in an epoxy matrix.”
Par
nothing personal, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t see moderator under your name let alone thought police, I’m a lowly disciple only attempting to encourage debate and conversation amongst a group of peers, I care not for their level of comprehension I have been the student of illiterates and been amazed by what they have taught me, I have sat with professors of multiple disciplines and been afforded the greatest patience so that I might learn, spread your knowledge by all means but desist in the intelligent elite stature of conversation for it only serves to lessen your grandeur amongst your invisible peers who have no need to be holier than thou.
I bow to your great knowledge will you not teach us.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by lancelots

“PAR
Nothing personal Lancelots, but I think the links are more then sufficient. Most folks can't comprehend the sizes, let alone the physical attributes in an epoxy matrix.”
Par
nothing personal, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t see moderator under your name let alone thought police, I’m a lowly disciple only attempting to encourage debate and conversation amongst a group of peers, I care not for their level of comprehension I have been the student of illiterates and been amazed by what they have taught me, I have sat with professors of multiple disciplines and been afforded the greatest patience so that I might learn, spread your knowledge by all means but desist in the intelligent elite stature of conversation for it only serves to lessen your grandeur amongst your invisible peers who have no need to be holier than thou.
I bow to your great knowledge will you not teach us.

Well we have not tried the carbon nano resin yet . . . but we have gotten quite superior results from the 3m silica nano resin - about 30% higher notched compressive strength than vs the 'standard resin'.

[lancelots]

Fantastic how did it go for tensile strength?

[lancelots]

Lightweight windmill blades made with an epoxy containing carbon nanotubes. The strength and low weight provided by the use of nanotube filled epoxy allows longer windmill blades to be used.
Eagle Wind Power uses in its windmill blades carbon nanotubes and epoxy that binds the nanotubes. The epoxy has been used successfully e.g. in yacht manufacture and in sports equipment manufacture.
As a result, the blades are approximately 50 percent lighter than competing glassfiber blades. The blades are also stronger, due to the fact that carbon nanotubes are 100 times stronger than steel. The light weight of blades allows to increase the blade size.
"The material enables the doubling of the station’s wing size and an increase in power production of 30 percent, when compared to traditional small wind power stations."

[lancelots]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

Well we have not tried the carbon nano resin yet . . . but we have gotten quite superior results from the 3m silica nano resin - about 30% higher notched compressive strength than vs the 'standard resin'.

I'm having difficulty finding any info on this Estarzinger, could you provide any links.

[lancelots]

Apparently CNT’s (carbon nanotubes) turn resin to peanut butter at very small doses so I emailed one of the companies as to how I would go with resin infusion involving Aramid Fibers, Carbon Fibers and Glass Fibers, as they would be mixed differently through the course of a pair of hulls for resin infusion
The Senior Manager
Structural Composites & Advaned Materials
from Nanocyl was kind enough to email me back.




1- To use an epoxy resin charged with CNT, which you can obtain starting from our Master Batch Epocyl NCR128-02 (pre-dispersion of CNT in Bis-A epoxy resin) and then you can dilute 6 times with own epoxy resin. This option might have the disadvantage of filtration given by the filaments of the fiber reinforcement to the CNT during the resin infusion process, especially if the thickness of the laminate will be higher than 3-4 mm. In this case you might have areas with higher CNT concentration and areas with lower CNT concentration.

2- To treat the reinforcing textile with a sizing agent in order to place the CNT on the textile and especially in the interface area fiber/matrix, in this case the risk of filtering effect will be eliminated as well there is not any influence on the resin viscosity (as you will use your own standard resin for infusion). To do this treatment there are two options:

a. We supply you the sizing agent (dispersion of CNT and polymeric binder in water) and you can apply by spray on the surface of the textile, and then dry the textile at 140°C to evaporate the water and then place the textile in the mold and run the infiltration.

b. We can treat the textile you normally use and send back the treated textiles with the CNT on their surface.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by lancelots

I'm having difficulty finding any info on this Estarzinger, could you provide any links.

See attached

[sabray]

Any information or test results of pleasure boats using biocyl. I would think that if it truly worked you could get a good bottom and barrier coat that lasts a long time.