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Prospects of the composite materials industry

Views: 0     Author: Site Editor     Publish Time: 2022-10-19      Origin: Site

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The composites industry is going through dynamic times. Recently, Stefan Osterwind, AOC's EMEA General Manager, shared his views on the composites market. JEC also recently interviewed Professor Luigi Nicolais, founder of Materias, a well-known industry figure. Come together and hear from experts on the future prospects and trends of the composites industry.

composite materials

What is the future of composite materials?


According to Stefan Osterwind, composite materials are widely accepted as durable, lightweight and sustainable material solutions through their design flexibility and great product versatility. AOC believes that composite materials will continue to play a huge role in society, becoming an important material in key industries such as wind energy, transportation, infrastructure and construction. Composite materials have great development space and added value. As an AOC, we are currently working hard with our customers around the world to keep our business healthy and sustainable, providing guaranteed supply of high-quality resins, and through ongoing support.


What does it take to keep the composites industry sustainable?


Composite materials have been able to compete well with traditional materials such as steel, wood and concrete in terms of sustainability and cost. Composite parts are characterized by their inherent low maintenance, they drive low emissions in automobiles and energy efficiency in wind turbines, they provide longevity (in applications such as bridges and pipe reloading, which can exceed 50-75 years), And often they are the most cost-effective material solutions. This in itself is a good starting point for a sustainable business.

Access to high-quality raw materials and energy is critical to being able to produce these versatile materials. AOC has been working on an ongoing basis with suppliers to establish reliable sourcing for the near and long term. It also means researching new raw materials to improve supply security and/or performance, changing the energy mix in operations, and working to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

At the same time, AOC recognizes that the safe use of chemicals and the provision of end-of-life solutions are prerequisites for business success. With these goals in mind, we play an active role in helping our customers and supply chain become more professional and sustainable.


Views on the supply of composite raw materials?


The composites industry has been through some difficult times over the past two years. After the initial drop in numbers caused by Covid-19 in 2020, the industry has experienced a massive increase in demand, resulting in an unprecedented strain on supply chains. At this stage, despite many of these difficulties, HD Fiberglass was able to meet the requirements of most of its customers and secure the supply of its key partners.

The recent conflict in Ukraine has led to increased uncertainty over natural gas supplies and has affected the energy mix of consumers and industry. Like many others, HD Fiberglass is also experiencing a surge in energy costs, affecting our operating costs. At this stage, it is not easy to make any predictions about the impact of changes in gas supply and energy mix on the supply of raw materials. At this stage, we believe our suppliers are taking the right steps to ensure continued supply.


Development history of European and American composite materials


Prof. Luigi Nicolais stated that he knew nothing about composite materials in industry and research early in his career, which started in 1969. It wasn't until going to the University of Washington, where the first U.S. government-funded program on composite structure and aging properties was launched, that it really marked the growth of interest in composites. At that time in Europe, such as Italy, fibers and resins did not exist.

And the gap between Europe and the US narrowed in the 1990s. At that time, in Italy, the application of composite materials was transferred to the civil sector due to the cooperation with Boeing. Composites are primarily structural and therefore make sense for the transportation industry as they can lead to significant weight savings. Following the aviation industry, these materials are used in the automotive sector, especially racing cars. Ferrari is starting to use composite materials in its F1 cars. Since then, we have witnessed a rapid increase in the use of advanced materials.


What are the prominent moments and events in the history of composites development that brought about the biggest changes?


Luigi Nicolais said that the most important changes occurred in the military sector where advanced materials were applied to the civilian sector, delineating an important transition phase characterized by the need to reduce costs. This step leads world research towards the creation of new technologies. Consider, for example, autoclave technology, which is still used today in Boeing 787s, the latest generation of aircraft where composites make up more than 50% of the structure. But temperature is a limiting factor behind the use of FRP.


Can FRP become "green"? The help of natural resins for composites? What is the future of thermoplastics?


Luigi Nicolais said that many organic fiber-based materials are used in non-structural applications to reduce noise and as thermal insulators. This type of use is more functional than structural.

It all depends on the application, each of these natural fibers has different mechanical and thermal properties. Composites are a concept, not a material, a technology platform.

Using natural fibers and biodegradable resins, we can get a naturally biodegradable composite. But if you want both function and structural performance, the composite must meet certain properties, depending on the application.

Thermoplastics are certainly more environmentally friendly as they can always be recycled, whereas thermosets are not. In the aerospace sector, and even in the automotive industry, there is a trend towards using thermoplastic matrix composites. In aerospace, these materials have not been very successful because no technology has been developed for their structure, whereas natural-matrix composites are easier to use for non-structural parts.


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