Transmaterial » thermal

Microtruss

Blaine Brownell — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:00:06 +0000

CMI develops and manufactures structures based on periodic cellular material (PCM) technology that are incredibly light, strong, multifunctional, efficient at heat exchange, and versatile due to their design and material flexibility. CMI’s PCM is now being incorporated into advanced applications that require structural support, armor protection, and thermal management as well as a combination of these functions. These structures’ multifunctionality provides innovations such as enhanced fuel cell performance, increased payloads for spacecraft, as well as increased durability for military vehicles.

CMI’s periodic cellular materials are comprised of a lightweight core sandwiched between two face sheets. CMI utilizes a wide variety of designs for its proprietary structures such as pyramidal and tetrahedral configurations, collectively referred to as Microtruss. Both the core and face sheets are manufactured from proven and established commercial materials, employing standard metallurgical processes in a variety of designs, densities, and metals suited to the specifications of an application.

Contact: Cellular Materials International, Inc., Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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Reddex

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:00:20 +0000

The Industrial Technology Research Institute in Taiwan has announced its development of Reddex, the first non-toxic fire resistant composite material technology to simultaneously offer ignition resistance and fire protection in one system, effectively reducing the risks associated with structural fires. Reddex may be prepared as a paint, paste or foam, and is offered in mechanical properties ranging from flexible to rigid.

When subjected to fire, Reddex chars and burns at a slower rate than other fire retardants. Eventually it transforms into a bound inorganic porous structure that has a low thermal conductivity and good mechanical rigidity, providing good insulating and structural properties. It contains no ignition resistant additives such as halogen, sulfur, or phosphor, so no toxic gas is released—only water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Contact: Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Solucent

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:00:26 +0000

Solucent is an energy-saving and daylighting mesh shading system for building exteriors and interiors. It was developed by Cambridge Architectural to meet the ever-increasing energy-saving needs facing architects today, but without sacrificing beauty in design. The system combines the aesthetic qualities of architectural mesh with shading and daylighting capabilities to create a compelling energy and light management solution.

Solucent mesh shading systems reduce solar heat gain, leading to significant savings on cooling costs. Solucent is also a versatile and transparent daylighting material which can allow the desired amount of natural light into a building without obstructing views out of the windows. As a result, Solucent systems seamlessly reduce the need for electric light, which is the number one energy consumer in buildings and a contributor of unwanted heat gain.

Each Solucent system is designed based on a building’s solar orientation. The mesh pattern is also chosen according to these specifications, allowing each piece of the system to fit together precisely and effectively.

Contact: Cambridge Architectural, Cambridge, MD, USA.
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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.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Parabienta

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:00:53 +0000

Parabienta is a vertical greening system for buildings developed by Japan-based Shimizu Corporation. Composed of units that incorporate Excelsoil solidified soil base in stainless steel wire frames, a lush green wall may be achieved quickly with the installation of the system. Parabienta has been shown to reduce solar heat gain on facades, thus reducing building energy costs. The system mitigates noise transfer as well, especially in the high frequency range.

Parabienta vertical greening units can be arranged to make various designs. Different kinds of plants can be utilized for different colors and textures as well as different performance criteria. In addition, units may easily be relocated or replaced when design or maintenance needs dictate.

Contact: Shimizu Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Greenscreen

Blaine Brownell — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:00:52 +0000

Greenscreen is a landscape trellis system for fencing, wall-mounted applications, or freestanding enclosures. When combined with a variety of climbing vines, Greenscreen becomes a “living wall” that can provide privacy, shading and cooling, security and spatial definition, and acts as an effective antigraffiti treatment. The main component of this modular system is a 3D welded wire trellis panel, which is manufactured in Southern California from recycled-content galvanized steel wire.

Contact: Impac International, Fontana, CA, USA.
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Mycobond

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:00:40 +0000

Mycobond is a mycological bio-composite that can be used in a wide variety of applications. Instead of conventional manufacturing processes, Mycobond uses mycelium—which is essentially the root system of a mushroom—to transform loose aggregates into strong composites. This process can be varied by using different species of fungus and mixtures of aggregates in order to make a composite with an optimal density, strength, appearance, and performance for the specific application.

Additionally, Mycobond represents a low-embodied-energy manufacturing process as the material self assembles at room temperature and pressure in the dark. Furthermore, Mycobond upcycles resources like rice hulls, cotton burrs, and buckwheat hulls that are otherwise thrown away, transforming them into valuable products, including rigid board insulation and protective packaging buffers.

Contact: Ecovative Design, Troy, NY, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Stomatex

Blaine Brownell — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:00:21 +0000

Neoprene is used extensively in the water sports, soft orthopedic, sportswear, footwear, equestrian, and thermal protective equipment sectors. However, conventional neoprene causes serious discomfort when worn against the skin of humans or animals. Stomatex overcomes this discomfort by dynamically removing moisture.

Stomatex embodies technology that allows impermeable materials (closed cell foams) to transfer heat and perspiration from the body. Stomatex technology has been successfully applied to closed cell neoprene with further variants under development. The product is currently being used in sports supports, equestrian products, and other similar products.

Contact: Stomatex, London, UK.
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Tri-Chord Steel

Blaine Brownell — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:12 +0000

A recycled steel stud system can be an environmentally superior choice to virgin wood studs, but thermal bridging between the highly conductive steel studs and the building envelope presents a challenge for energy-efficient design. Tri-Chord Steel Systems manufacturers the most thermally efficient steel framing components available. Tri-Chord studs have the highest thermal, seismic, acoustic, and fire ratings for steel framing and will meet the thermal transference of wood. Tri-Chord Steel Studs are structural and will carry up to 5,170 pounds per stud. They are also one-hour fire rated on load bearing interior and exterior walls.

The Tri-Chord Stud and Truss Systems were designed to minimize thermal bridging, and contain sixty-six to sixty-eight percent postconsumer recycled content from wrecked automobiles and other sources. In profile, the studs and trusses have triangular sections at each edge and discreet webs spanning the wall cavity, instead of a solid heat-conducting steel webs. Tri-Chord Steel also offers floor trusses (CRS), which span great distances due to the strength of the triangular profile.

Contact: Tri-Chord Steel Systems, Inc., Phoenix, AZ, USA.
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Transparent Ceramics

Blaine Brownell — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:00:08 +0000

Translucent alumina ceramics have exhibited low mechanical properties and a low in-line transmission of unscattered light (less than fifteen percent) because of their coarse micro-structures (greater than 20 μm).

New transparent corundum ceramics avoid these shortcomings and can be manufactured with complex (even hollow) shapes and with a four-point bending strength of six hundred to seven hundred megapascals and a macrohardness HV10 greater than 20 GPa. The in-line transmission of transparent ceramics is close to sixty percent in visible light and approaches the theoretical limit in the infrared range. An even higher visible light transmission (greater than eighty percent at one millimeter thickness) is enabled by new submicrometer spinel, which has a macrohardness of HV10 = 14.5 GPa.

Faceted colored gemstones of about one and a half carats have been manufactured with a polycrystalline sub-μm microstructure of transparent ceramics, and filters have been manufactured for optical applications with the same material. Future applications include superstrong and heat-resistant windows as well as transparent armor.

Contact: Fraunhofer IKTS, Dresden, Germany.
Find more information in Transmaterial.