Transmaterial » material

Bio-Based Foams

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:00:41 +0000

The Center for Composite Materials has synthesized flexible/rigid polyurethane foams from soybean oil polyols. The advantage of these foams is that they can replace petroleum-based materials (synthetic polyols) and can be used for many applications. The morphology of the foams can be controlled by several factors: the type and functionality of the soybean oil polyols, the type of curing agents, the amount of water, and the amount of catalyst. Both flexible and rigid foams can be developed from vegetable oils by implementing different processes. The biocontent of the foams varies from 33 to 96 weight percent. The use of this biodegradable, locally harvested, and renewable source has economic and environmental advantages that make it an attractive alternative to petroleum-based materials.

Contact: Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
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Woven Horsehair

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:00:47 +0000

Marianne Kemp develops woven textiles out of unconventional combinations of materials. Using small bunches of horsehair interwoven with linen or cotton, Kemp creates curious fabrics in diverse colors and textures. The horsehair is sourced from live horses overseas, mainly from Mongolia. In the weaving process, Kemp manipulates the bunches through knotting, curling, and looping. Each final weaving expresses the unique shine, texture, and flexibility of the horsehair fiber.

Kemp explains, “I’m fascinated by the movement of the weavings, how the horsehair is manifest in the net of the weaving technique. Also, the way the light falls on the weaving plays an important role in the process. Each piece of work has its own unique character.”

Contact: Marianne Kemp, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Light Tape

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:00:52 +0000

Light Tape lamps alter one’s preconceptions about point based light sources. Imagine a lightbulb as thin as a credit card in any color that can be bent around any surface for hundreds and hundreds of feet, and that costs only a fraction of what traditional bulbs cost to operate. Developed by Electro-LuminX, Light Tape is made from Global Tungsten & Powders’s light-emitting phosphors and Honeywell’s encapsulant systems, and may be used for general illumination, signage, and animated displays.

Contact: Electro-LuminX Lighting Corporation, Chester, VA, USA.
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KiloLux

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 28 May 2010 14:00:07 +0000

KiloLux is a monolithic glass block with the appearance of a laminate produced by thermally bonding glass at low temperatures. Wales-based Innovative Glass Products Ltd. developed the material for inclusion in building facades as a light-emitting decorative element. Because no adhesive is used to manufacture the product, it has good resistance to moisture and freeze-thaw cycles.

KiloLux was first employed as an external component and weather seal on a public building in the UK, and had to be rigorously tested to ensure compliance with building specifications. Since then, it has been used in a variety of interior or exterior applications and the product shape and color offerings have been diversified.

KiloLux can be manufactured with a variety of different glass types, most commonly with soda lime float glass and low iron glass. It can be secondarily processed by chemical, abrasive etching, and water jet abrasive techniques, and can also be thermally bent as well as cut and shaped by a diamond saw.

Contact: Innovative Glass Products Ltd., Swansea, Wales.
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CarbonCoat

Blaine Brownell — Sat, 15 May 2010 14:00:34 +0000

Geckos possess the remarkable ability to climb vertical walls without using any adhesive glue. A gecko’s feet are covered by tiny hairs that stick to rough and smooth surfaces using van der Waals forces. Inspired by the gecko design, Ali Dhinojwala and researchers at the University of Akron have developed carbon nanotube-based gecko tapes that stick to most surfaces (even Teflon) and have self-cleaning abilities.

Carbon nanotube coatings on steel surfaces make them superhydrophobic without losing their electrical or thermal conductivity. Modifying the surface characteristics of stainless steel can lead to many new applications such as heat exchangers, electrodes for fuel cells, solar panels, fluid transport and non-fouling surfaces.

Contact: Ali Dhinojwala, The University of Akron, OH, USA.
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Creacrete

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:00:03 +0000

Concrete is an omnipresent material in architecture and public space. Previous attempts to use it in product design have led to massive, heavy objects which were also limited in their formal design. Creacrete is a concrete-based material that is highly dense and compact and makes thin-walled objects with glossy surfaces possible for the first time. Creacrete explores new sides of concrete with the aim to realize surfaces that are permanently glossy, abrasion- and acid-resistant, food safe, and hydrophobic.

Developed by Alexa Lixfield, Creacrete shows the possible innovative use of concrete as an alternative material for ceramics. The use of concrete shortens the production process compared to that of ceramics because it eliminates the need for two kiln firings—thus reducing energy input and expenses. The simplified production process also allows new freedom in form-making. Just as ceramics need a glaze coating to be resistant to stains, concrete needs adequate treatment to make it stain-resistant and food-safe.

Contact: AlexaLixfeld Design GmbH, Hamburg, Germany.
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Feather Circuit Boards

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:00:47 +0000

Richard Wool has recently developed a circuit board made from soybeans and chicken feathers. A professor of chemical engineering who directs the Affordable Composites from Renewable Sources (ACRES) program at the University of Delaware, Dr. Wool seeks creative, locally-available substitutes for petroleum-based resources.

“With the demise of the oil business in about 25 years and the ever increasing utilization of electronic materials, it makes excellent green engineering sense to pursue new materials that are derived from renewable resources,” Wool said. “The biobased materials are derived from renewable plant and animal feedstock, which use carbon dioxide from the air and help minimize global warming, as compared to petroleum feedstock.”

A novel bio-based composite material developed from soybean oils and keratin feather fibers (KF), Feather Circuit Boards are suitable for electronic as well as automotive and aeronautical applications. Keratin fibers are a hollow, light, and tough material and are compatible with several soybean (S) resins, such as acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO). Not only is the material lighter than that of conventional circuit boards, but electrons also move at twice the speed through the feather-based printed version as well. Moreover, these materials are both bountiful in Delaware.

Contact: Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
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Terocore

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:00:19 +0000

Henkel’s series of Terocore foams consist of heat-activated or two-component epoxy foam products for structural applications such as reinforcement, durability and crashworthiness. They are effectively being used in automotive and other industries to achieve competitive, lightweight and high-performance products made from a wide variety of materials.

Terocore foams are applied onto metal or plastic carriers by extrusion or injection molding and provided as preformed parts to both OEM and sub-suppliers. The preformed parts can easily be integrated into the constructions of the customer. Henkel also provides full engineering and design support.

Contact: Henkel AG, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Element

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:00:45 +0000

Hycrete’s Element is an environmentally friendly admixture that integrally waterproofs concrete used in commercial construction. Certified Cradle-to-Cradle by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC (MBDC), Element eliminates the need for external membranes typically used to waterproof concrete, thereby making the concrete more-easily recyclable following demolition. This approach can eliminate thousands of pounds of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), CO2 and non-renewable content. Additionally, the admixture enhances structure durability by protecting against corrosion of steel rebar.

In eliminating the need for a manually applied membrane, Hycrete Element can also save time in construction schedules. With typical membrane applications, contractors must often wait for the concrete to dry before a waterproofing sub-contractor can apply the membrane – even after rainfall and re-wetting. In contrast, Hycrete Element is dosed during concrete mixing and is not subject to weather delays.

Contact: Hycrete, Inc., Carlstadt, NJ, USA.
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Kebony

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:00:32 +0000

Kebony is a high performance wood that is modified by a process called Kebonization, which is an environmentally friendly procedure that enhances the properties of wood using biowaste from the sugar industry. Kebony is a durable alternative to impregnated surface-treated and tropical timber.

The process, which is based on a liquid extracted from biowaste, strengthens the cellular walls of wood, increases the density of the materials, and makes the product stiffer and significantly harder than untreated wood. Kebonization results in the wood cells being permanently blocked, which reduces shrinkage and swelling by approximately 50% when compared with untreated wood. The polymer is permanently bonded to the cell structure in the wood by means of a process that cannot be reversed; thus, Kebony contains no chemicals that can be released into the environment. In the waste disposal phase, Kebony can be treated as regular untreated wood.

Available Kebony species are pine, spruce, oak, beech, maple and southern yellow pine. The raw materials for Kebony are acquired from commercially managed forests with large timber harvests. Kebonized wood has a golden brown colour that naturally turns grey. Kebony acquires a natural silver-grey patina and exposure to sun and rain creates an interesting effect of visual depth.

Kebony exhibits good durability and long life spans in harsh climates, and there is no need for paint or sealing. The increased resistance protects against decay, fungi, insects and other microorganisms. Required maintenance is limited to normal cleaning.

Contact: Kebony ASA, Skien, Norway.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.