Haydale Technologies Limited Public Funding

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The growing demand for composite materials in aerospace due to lightweight advantages over their metallic counterparts has given a new impetus to the development of eco-friendly, cost-effective composite manufacturing processes. A350 XWB and Boeing 777X use more than 50% composites by weight, with the latter having the world's largest aircraft wings formed from composite materials. Historically, aerospace composites have been manufactured using autoclave processes. However, the extremely high equipment and operational costs, prolonged process cycles and inability to make in-process adjustments have led to the need for developing more versatile, less costly out-of-autoclave (OOA) manufacturing routes. While OOA is mostly used in aerospace, sectors such as automotive, renewable energy and consumer electronics are adopting this technology, hoping to improve the efficiency of their processes in terms of time and cost as well as the quality of their products. The continuous need for efficient composite parts renders the development of self-heated tools and in-process adjustment systems along with robust in-process and in-service monitoring imperative. OOA offers efficient thermal management, low cost and the ability to make in-process adjustments over conventional processes. Current self-heated tooling solutions suffer from temperature inhomogeneity and high system complexity. In addition, monitoring capabilities are often limited due to the complexity and high cost of currently available technologies. This implies that the development of low-cost non-intrusive sensing solutions able to withstand processing conditions would significantly enhance the quality of composite materials exploiting their full potential. Therefore, composite manufacturing can be significantly improved by combining effective multi-zone, self-heated tooling in OOA processing with an on-line process and in-service monitoring to ensure robust defect-free manufacturing. The ESENSE project aims to bring to market a smart composite manufacturing route comprising a self-heated, multi-zone OOA composite tooling capable of manufacturing composite parts with process monitoring and through-life sensing capabilities. ESENSE will be a fully controlled processing tool that will minimise the required energy budget and offer unparalleled quality assurance. This will enable first-time-right efficient OOA processes, effectively replacing the extremely costly autoclave moulded parts as well as offering a more robust and cost-effective alternative to existing self-heated tooling solutions. ESENSE's **Unique Selling Points** lie in: 1. 45-55% less costly solution than traditional autoclaves. 2. First-time-right, high-quality and cost-effective OOA aerospace parts. 3. Unparalleled part quality assurance with real-time process monitoring and non-intrusive through-life sensing capabilities via embedded graphene ink sensors. 4. 20% shorter lead times and 15% energy savings throughout the composite-curing processing cycle.

The aim of F4 PAEK is to produce novel nano-composite materials for additive manufacturing. These new materials will offer multifunctional capabilities including lightweighting, thermal and electro-magnetic properties. The initial target applications are focussed on the defence and aerospace industry but the developments have potential implications and benefits that are far reaching, bringing together the advantages of improved material properties with the design freedom and lightweighting potential of additive manufacturing.

This project uses graphene to produce composites with polyolefins to give a step change in performance for lightweight extruded oriented products used in specialist applications. The project team will; • gain an understanding of how graphene can enhance the performance of polymer composites, especially in relation to physical strength and operating temperature. • develop techniques to achieve dispersion of graphene into a polymer matrix at production scale without damaging the platelet structure and reducing the benefits of addition. • understand what impact graphene has on polymer processability and rheological properties, including trials at production scale (processing up to 2.5kg of graphene to produce 250kg of composite) • model the impact that addition of graphene has on product cost at predicted volumes. • develop a value proposition for prototype products and gain feedback from customers in the target markets

State-of-the-art PEM fuel cells utilise metallic separator plates which require a coating to reduce their contact resistance to acceptable levels. Such coatings are usually applied by PVD which has high capital costs in order to achieve high volume. This feasibility project aims to reduce PEM bipolar plate coating costs by developing high conductivity carbon-based coatings suitable for application by traditional high volume wet coating processes. Methods for depositing thin film coatings onto preformed, roll material for subsequent forming into fuel cell plates will be developed, these will then undergo ex-situ characterisation for adhesion of the coating through the forming operation and contact resistance before in-situ fuel cell testing. In parallel, coating options for formed parts will be devised such that a comparative costing of pre- vs post-forming coating options can be carried out. The project will aim to develop a process which represents a 30% reduction over the volume cost of existing PVD processed materials whilst achieving equivalent to, or better than, incumbent contact resistance, and demonstrating a route to volume realisation.

Membrane filters can be applied for a variety of industrial liquid and gas separations applications such as water desalination, water/oil separation during oil drilling and industrial waste water treatment. A major operational issue with filter membranes is their tendency to foul with use over time, which results in lowering throughput, increasing energy consumption and the need for costly maintenance. The aim of this project is to develop a low cost self-cleaning coating technology based on functionalised graphene, which once applied to industrial membranes makes them resistant to fouling. The technology has already been demonstrated successfully in lab-scale tests. Led by G2O Water Limited, this project will translate the lab-scale work into a working robust, reliable manufacturing process which can be scaled-up to enhance the performance of existing filter membranes. The coating will be formulated and validated by the consortium for deployment in a number of different applications, in order to ensure the resulting smart product can be taken to market and be readily applied to improve the performance of a broad range of industrial processes. Finance Summary Table – How to complete this section

This project is a collaboration between Haydale Ltd, Thales and University of Bath. The aim of the project is to assess the feasibility of employing graphene based polymer skins for sensing and deicing applications. The are major issues associated with deicing are in aircarft, at airports, transmission power lines, instrumentation, antenna masks, wind turbines and the exploration of cold environments (e.g. oil and gas). Such a sensing surface can be integrated with thermally active (shape changing) structures to achieve structural deflection for combined thermal-mechanical de-icing. The opportunity to limit the extent of ice build-up on structures has broad application opportunities and enable light weight structures with reduced material costs and fuel saving for mobile applications and improved performance for instrumentation.

This project aims to develop materials that when incorporated into composite structures, provides those composite materials with the ability to “bruise” or show a visible indication that the material has suffered damage.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

The FUNGI (FUNnctionalised Graphene Inks for Electrochemical Diagnostic Biosensors) project will develop a range of innovative functionalised graphene nano-platelet (GNP) based inks with significantly improved performance to that of conventional carbon inks for biosensor applications. Improved ink conductivity and surface topography will lead to improved measurement sensitivity through increased signal amplitude and linear range. As an alternative to improved sensitivity in low cost applications, improved cost performance may be possible through reduced material usage. Because of their improved measurement sensitivity, these inks may open up a new range of sensor chemistries not previously viable with conventional carbon inks or replace high cost Ag inks in some applications. Innovative metrology of the GNP dispersions and dispersion stability will enable optimum ink formulations to be developed. Characterisation of the cured ink surfaces will enable a better understanding of the role they play in the electrochemical process and also to determine optimum processing parameters for the inks to ensure maximum sensitivity with minimum wastage .

The inclusion into thermoset resins of nano particles functionalised by the innovative patented Haydale manufacturing route will enhance the properties of composites and reduce the risk of delamination. This enables lower volume, reduced mass composite structures to be manufactured and will reduce the volume of fibre required for equivalent performance.

Using an innovative process technology, Haydale Ltd. have developed a cost effective route to both manufacture and disperse nanoparticles such as graphene and carbon nanotubes. With funding from the TSB a feasibility study will be undertaken to establish how modification to the performance of polymers can be used to enhance the properties and performance of recycled polymers, thereby enabling the circular economy to be sustained.

To design, test, create and take to market new nanomaterial-engineered antifouling paints and paints which significantly reduce bio-fouling.