MOSCOW (MRC) -- Essen-based Evonik Industries, a leading specialty chemicals manufacturer, has introduced new solutions for greater (cost) efficiency in lightweight design, as per the company's press release.
Composite materials are light, extremely robust, and offer a wide range of design options. Although they are an essential part of modern production - for example when it comes to lighter cars or high-performance wind power plants - production at the industrial scale has so far been hampered by complex and costly processes. This may now change. Evonik assigned an interdisciplinary team to search for solutions for a three-year term in its Composites Project House. The recently completed project house came up with materials and processes that enable automated production at economical prices. Potential customers in a variety of industry sectors are already testing the developments.
"The new developments from the Composites Project House are a perfect fit for our extensive product portfolio that addresses all essential components of composite materials," said Dr. Gerd Lohden, head of Innovation Management in the Resource Efficiency Segment, which will take over seven of the nine developments for product expansion."We are well on our way to overcome the challenges of the industry together with our customers."
With this step, Evonik is positioning itself for the long term in the growing composites market, while also providing fresh impulses.
The global composites market reached a volume of approx. EUR74 billion and about 9 million metric tons in 2015, with further growth projected. Experts forecast a growth rate of six percent annually for the years to come (source: JEC Composites). This growth is driven primarily by the aerospace, wind energy, sports and leisure, and oil and gas extraction industries.
A new material system solution for the first step in the production of composites - the production of pre-impregnated fibers (prepregs) - also aimed at greater efficiency. The newly developed thermally controllable hybrid polymers combine quick and easy processing with ultra-high stress resistance-properties that were previously considered incompatible. Significant progress was also achieved in the surface quality of composite materials as well as for the production of flame-retardant prepregs and unidirectional tapes, the thin synthetic strips embedded in parallel in endless reinforcement fibers. In addition, the Project House came up with a process that allows for combining metals and fiber-reinforced polymers in composite materials.
When the term of the project house ended, the new materials and system solutions were integrated into the Resource Efficiency and Performance Materials segments.
As MRC wrote before, in mid-April 2016, Evonik Industries presented its innovative products and solutions. Thus, Evonik introduced in the US market the following innovative products and technologies: SILIKOTOP new binders for high solids protective coatings, SPUR technology for ambient cure polyurethane coatings, novel matting agents for low VOC coatings, dynasylan silanes for acrylic polymer modification, VISIOMER specialty methacrylates for post-crosslinking.
Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. Its activities focus on the key megatrends health, nutrition, resource efficiency and globalization. Evonik benefits specifically from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world.
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