Ultralight graphite polymer composites
Aircraft and marine vessels are significant contributors to global warming. Airplane vapor trails release CO2 as well as other pollutants, and ships expend large amounts of energy as they carry most of the world’s cargo. Many of the polymer composites typically used for such craft are over-engineered to avoid structural failure, a fact that reduces the advantage of such light weight constructions.
Self-Repairing Polymer Composites are made from graphite oil, resulting in lighter material properties. In a recent project for the US Air Force, the composite portion of the airplane fuselage was made to be 30% lighter than conventional materials based on the use of Self-Repairing Polymers. If this material can be successfully implemented, a significant reduction in CO2 contributions from traveling craft and other applications will be realized.
Contact: Natural Process Design Inc., Winona, MN, USA.
For more information, see Transmaterial 3: A Catalog of Materials that Redefine our Physical Environment
