dry-jet wet spinning process of producing aramid fibers!

 #science 📢Time to Get Technical...📢

Let's learn more about the dry-jet wet spinning process of producing aramid fibers!

Aramid fiber is a generic term for a class of synthetic organic fibers called aromatic polyamide fibers. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission gives a good definition of an aramid fiber as “a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is a long-chain synthetic polyamide in which at least 85% of the amide linkages are attached directly to two aromatic rings.” Well-known commercial names of aramid fibers include Kevlar and Nomex (DuPont) and Twaron (Teijin Aramid).

The basic chemical structure of aramid fibers consists of oriented para-substituted aromatic units, which makes them rigid rodlike polymers. The rigid rodlike structure results in a high glass transition temperature and poor solubility, which makes the fabrication of these polymers, by conventional drawing techniques, difficult. Instead, they are spun from liquid crystalline polymer solutions by dry-jet wet spinning.

The dry-jet wet spinning starts with a solution of polycondensation of diamines and diacid halides at low temperatures (near 0 °C) gives the aramid forming polyamides. Low temperatures are used to inhibit any by-product generation and promote linear polyamide formation. The resulting polymer is pulverized, washed, and dried; mixed with concentrated H2SO4; and extruded through a spinneret at about 100 °C. The jets from the orifices pass through about 1 cm of air layer before entering a cold water (0–4 °C) bath. The fiber solidifies in the air gap, and the acid is removed in the coagulation bath. The spinneret capillary and air gap cause rotation and alignment of the domains, resulting in highly crystalline and oriented as-spun fibers. The air gap also allows the dope to be at a higher temperature than is possible without the air gap. The higher temperature allows a more concentrated spinning solution to be used, and higher spinning rates are possible. Spinning rates of several hundred meters per minute are not unusual. The as-spun aramid fibers are washed in water, wound on a bobbin, and dried. Fiber properties are modified by the use of appropriate solvent additives, by changing the spinning conditions, and by means of some post-spinning heat treatments, if necessary.

Bibliographical Reference:

Composite Materials - Science and Engineering - Page 46

Source:managingcomposites

UCalgary researchers turn Alberta oilsands bitumen into high-value carbon fibers

 University spearheads three projects out of the 12 teams chosen for Phase II of the Carbon Fibre Challenge, with a new target to produce the carbon fibers from bitumen at a lab scale.

Dr. Md Kibria, an assistant professor for the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the Schulich School of Engineering for the University of Calgary (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), is leading one of three projects selected in the Carbon Fibre Challenge (CFGC) Phase II competition conducted by Alberta Innovates (Alberta, Canada) and the Clean Resource Innovation Network (CRIN, Canada). 

The three-phase competition is aimed at accelerating the development of carbon fiber derived from Alberta’s vast supply of oilsands bitumen, a black viscous mixture of hydrocarbons obtained naturally or as a residue from petroleum distillation. Currently, Kibria and his team have been working with asphaltenes, — molecular substances found in crude oil — spinning the gooey substance together into strands finer than a human hair.

“Asphaltenes are commonly known as the ‘bottom of the barrel,’” says Kibria. “It’s the heavy fraction in bitumen which holds great promise to serve as a cheap feedstock for a wide variety of non-combustible, high-value products such as carbon fibers.”

The asphaltenes, says Kibria, are heated up to become a gel of sorts, which a spinner then winds into carbon fibers. The fibers then go through several steps to make them stronger, with some guessing and testing along the way. “We know that it’s feasible to make the fibers. Now the question is: How strong can we make it?” he questions.

Kibria hopes to create high-end carbon fibers that meet the standard for the automotive and airline industries, for which they can be used to create body components, wheels and rims, interior finishes, and other products. He calls it a “win-win-win” situation because materials that don’t meet that high standard can still be used for other applications such as carbon fiber-reinforced concrete.

In addition to Dr. Md Kibria, two other Schulich professors, Dr. Simon Park, PhD, and Dr. Joanna Wong, Dr.sc.ETH — both with the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering — are spearheading projects that also made it into the final 12 teams of the competition.

“One of the challenges associated with traditional carbon fiber-making is the high energy needed to convert polymer-based precursors to fibers,” Park says. “We are currently investigating new methods to generate carbon fibers by minimizing the energy usage through both chemical and electromagnetic treatments.”

In particular, his team is using both melt spinning and electrospinning processes to generate nano-scale and micro-scale fibers.

Wong, meanwhile, says her team’s approach “involves studying the chemical characteristics or particular fractions of different asphaltene samples. We are studying how their chemistries affect the rheology of the melts which, in turn, affects the quality of fibers that can be made.”

“Phase II of the Carbon Fibre Challenge moves us closer to realizing the potential of Bitumen Beyond Combustion,” says Alberta Innovates CEO Laura Kilcrease. “Alberta’s vast reserves of bitumen are the building blocks to create new low-carbon opportunities throughout the province.”

In total, the 12 teams that moved on in the competition received a share of $5.27 million to produce the carbon fibers at a lab scale and develop a process with a line of sight to a demonstration plant that can be commercially scaled.

“Our target isn’t just to make a product,” says Kibria, who received $500,000 in funding for Phase II. “We want to make a carbon fiber that the end-users need for different applications.”

Park obtained $485,000 in funding and Wong secured $217,000 for the second phase of the competition, which is expected to wrap up in December 2022.

Phase III, which will see the finalists demonstrate how they can manufacture the fibers in a way to enable commercial investment, is expected to run from January 2023 to December 2024.

Recycled carbon fiber used in the Fisker 22” wheel for the electric Ocean SUV!

 📢Saturday Spotlight!📢 Recycled carbon fiber used in the Fisker 22” wheel for the electric Ocean SUV!

@Fisker Inc's ambitious plans to relaunch itself as an electric-vehicle manufacturer are nearing a crucial inflection point as the 2023 Ocean SUV is unveiled at the 2021 Los Angeles auto show. Led by the company's namesake and CEO, @Henrik Fisker, the revived brand is focusing on sustainability and environmental responsibility with the Ocean, which utilizes reclaimed materials such as recycled plastic bottles to line the interior of the luxury SUV. 

Designed from start to finish by Henrik and his world-class team, the Fisker Ocean zero-emissions SUV is ready to disrupt the automotive world through its beautiful craftsmanship, ingenious engineering, innovation, affordability, and sustainability. Are you ready for your all-electric future? 

Here at Managing Composites, we certainly are! However, our all-electric future NEEDS some carbon!

  Luckily for us, Frisker is not going to leave us hanging: At launch, 5000 special-edition Ocean One models will be available, featuring unique 22-inch aerodynamic wheels that are made from recycled carbon fiber and aluminum. 😍

What do you think about this design? 🤪

Source:#managingcomposites

MIT Engineers Build Impossible Material: Stronger Than Steel But Light as Plastic

 Developed with the help of a novel polymerization process, MIT chemical engineers have developed a two-dimensional polymer that self-assembles into sheets, unlike other polymers that often form one-dimensional chains. 

Polymers that consist of all kinds of plastics are formed with chains of building blocks that are known as monomers. The chains grow by adding new molecules at their ends. After formation, the polymers can be shaped into 3D objects via the process of injection molding.

Scientists have often hypothesized that if polymers could be induced to grow into a 2D sheet, they’d be strong yet lightweight. However, previous failed attempts made them believe that achieving something like this was impossible. 

One of the reasons why this was the case, as if even one monomer flips up or down out of the plane of the growing sheet, the material would start to expand in three dimensions, not allowing a sheet-like structure to form. 

However, now researchers have come up with a novel polymerization process that allows them to create a two-dimensional sheet dubbed polyaramide. For the monomer building blocks, they use a compound dubbed melamine that contains a ring of carbon and nitrogen atoms. 

In perfect conditions, these monomers can grow into two dimensions, forming discs. The discs stack above each other, held together by hydrogen bonds between layers, whilst creating a stable and strong structure. 

Moreover, since the material is self-assembled in solution, it can be mass-produced by increasing the quantity of starting materials. They also demonstrated that they could coat surfaces with films of the material that they call 2DPA-1.

Researchers also discovered that the new material’s elastic modulus -- the force it takes to deform a material -- is between four and six times more than bulletproof glass. For destroying the material, the energy required is twice that of steel even though the material has just one-sixth the density of steel. 

The material is also impermeable to gases, thanks to the monomers that lock together, preventing molecules from getting in between them. 

Researchers are now looking into more detail on how the polymer is able to form 2D sheets while also playing with changing its molecular makeup to form other kinds of novel materials. 

Source:MIT

Lamborghini Essenza SCV12-CARBON FIBER FRAME

 📣Composites Showcase!📣

Meet the Lamborghini Essenza SCV12: The hypercar with a full carbon frame!

Lamborghini has reached another goal: the Essenza SCV12 is the first car on the market with a carbon fiber roll cage homologated according to the FIA Hypercar safety standards.

The Lamborghini Squadra Corse engineers have profoundly changed the standard production frame structure following extremely rigorous tests including over 20 static and dynamic tests.

The carbon integral body has been reinforced in several points since it has to support forces of over 12 tons without showing significant deformations. The decision to keep the carbon, and not steel, the load-bearing structure has also resulted in a gain in terms of overall weight and a considerable increase in passenger compartment space to offer optimum driving comfort.

“The Essenza SCV12 was designed as a ‘laboratory of ideas’ vehicle,” commented Giorgio Sanna, Lamborghini Head of Motorsport. “It has allowed us to use technical solutions usually typical of competition prototypes, such as the suspension installed directly on the load-bearing gearbox, an innovative solution for a GT vehicle. Moreover, the brand-new carbon integral body frame without steel rollbar was achieved with the technical collaboration of FIA, thanks to which we have undertaken a route that will lead to an exponential improvement of safety for drivers of GT vehicles in a future projection.” Another outstanding innovation is given by the cradle in the rear of the integral body, which houses the engine-gearbox assembly and that has increased torsional stiffness values to 20% higher than those of the Huracán GT3 EVO, resulting in extraordinary driving precision.

The first Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 units were delivered to customers in April 2021 and will continue until the end of 2022.

Source: The Native Lab

Ultralight eco-friendly carbon-fiber surfboard fins?

 It's time for our segment Endless Possibilities!

Ultralight eco-friendly carbon-fiber surfboard fins?

Designed by @Firewire Surfboards, the "Endorfins" is designed to be screwed into the fin box to secure the base of the fin and allow the carbon flex patterns to truly come to life. In addition, the fins are also designed to float so they can be retrieved from the ocean if needed. Each set is built with a base that is compatible with either FCSII or Futures boxes.

The FCSII compatible base will require two screws that will come with the fins. Endorfins with FCSII compatible bases will not click in and click out. Combining that knowledge, and several rounds of testing and adjusting over the past year and a half, they are excited to present Endorfins to the world.

The design of these fins is the culmination of many years and extensive experience with a variety of designs and templates. This unique flex pattern is created by a carbon twill, layered with an ultralight carbon veil over a PET core. The PET core is majority air resulting in fins so light they float on water.

Source: JEC Composites

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JOB VACANCY

 JOB VACANCY

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