Composites Materials

Turning agri-food waste and biomass into sustainable polymers. The Polymers-5B project develops novel alternative biological polymers synthesized from biobased monomers sourced from underexploited second-generation feedstocks, such as agri/food waste and biomass, obeying the food first and cascading principle. Polymers-5B brings together cutting-edge technologies and knowledge to develop and drive innovation in biocatalysis and green chemistry processes, generating novel bio-based polymers like polyesters and polyamides with pendent functional groups (e.g. hydroxy, carboxylic, amine, epoxy, thiol, etc.), polyphenols and polyfurans, which mimic fossil-based polymers properties, targeting improved biodegradability. These new polymers will be blended to provide valuable bio-composites [...]

Creation of a cyber-physical device that monitors and optimizes the plastic injection process. The DASIT project develops a cyber-physical prototype that allows real-time and remote monitoring of the injection process, obtaining direct data from sensors embedded in the mould and indirect data through a device connected to the mould. The device powered by DASIT is energy efficient, by integrating an energy harvesting system, and has a geolocation system through the implementation of advanced technologies to track the location of the molds. It is a cloud-connected wireless device with a low-cost approach. In addition, data quality validation [...]

Development of new biodegradable plastic formulations for the biomedical sector. The PHASAL project develops different bioplastic formulations that introduce PHB-HV with different loads of hydroxyvalerate (-HV) from the revaluation of organic waste. The objective is that these formulations, applicable to the health field, present advanced biodegradability and biocompatibility properties to minimize the environmental impact they present due to their poor recyclability. In this sense, PHASAL develops a complex rigid packaging system, such as a suture kit, and a direct medical application with controlled drug release, such as a transdermal patch. The new advanced formulations developed during [...]

Pioneering sustainable solutions based on graphene to address environmental challenges. The GIANCE project establishes a holistic, integrative and industry-driven platform with a clear focus on the improvement of sustainable materials and their real-world applications. In this sense, GIANCE designs, develops and scales the next generation of multifunctional composites, coatings, foams and membranes based on graphene and derived materials (GRM), so that they are profitable, sustainable, lightweight and recyclable. These advanced materials are designed to improve their performance, such as their thermal, mechanical and chemical properties, offering functionalities such as wear resistance, corrosion resistance, chemical and fire [...]

Design, manufacture and experimental validation of a tank to store hydrogen at high pressure. The HIDROGENIA project develops and validates to TRL 5 a type IV tank to safely store hydrogen at high pressure (700 bars). These types of tanks are already manufactured today, but they present permeability problems because the materials used do not have a sufficient barrier effect against hydrogen passage. Eurecat participates in the HIDROGENIA project through different Technological Units: The Product Development & Multiphysics Simulation Unit designs the interior liner and calculates the tank based on the numerical simulation of the different elements of [...]

Improvement of shaping systems for the deposition of semi-molten materials, applicable mainly to plastic, metallic or mixed materials (plastic, metallic, ceramic and inorganic). The FUSE3D project develops new technologies for the deposition of semi-molten material with the aim to improve the adhesion between layers of material and increasing its strength, combining different materials when printing to obtain different surfaces and be able to create geometries with more height. The innovation promoted by the project allows to carry out studies, characterisations and optimisations of printing materials and processes. Moreover, the definition of the mechanical properties of the [...]

New manufacturing process that allows to use high-performance thermoplastic matrix composite materials reinforced with carbon fibre in the regional aircraft construction. The utilization of these thermoplastic matrix composite materials in the construction of regional aircrafts is limited due to the complexity of forming of these materials and the high costs that the process implies. The KEELBEMAN innovation reduces these production and assembly costs through the optimisation of the high temperature compression process and the application of innovative welding technologies, enabling the use of these materials in the construction of structures for regional aircrafts. KEELBEMAN solves technological [...]

Development of regional aircraft thermoplastic composite windows frames using advanced and innovative industrial processes and Out of Autoclave composite manufacturing (OOA – alternative to autoclave process commonly applied for the aeronautic industry for producing high performance composite materials) with the aim of reducing the weight of the window frames and their production costs. WINFRAME 4.0 solution allows the utilization of thermoplastic composite materials for the construction of regional aircrafts and develops faster and more reliable processes, thanks to the use of polymers reinforced with carbon fibres and innovative processes. The innovations of WINFRAME 4.0, coordinated by [...]

New manufacturing process for carbon fibre fuselage frames to be able to apply these materials in the construction of regional aircrafts. The new manufacturing process developed by COFRARE 2020 marks a new milestone for the aeronautical European industry and for the construction of lighter and more sustainable planes, through the integration of carbon fibre into the fuselage. These materials, which are already being used for the construction of big commercial aircrafts’ structure, imply high costs, which complicates its integration in smaller airplanes. COFRARE 2020 solution improves the manufacturing flow and reduces significantly the manufacturing costs and [...]

Development of new models and methods to improve the design capabilities of the hybrid boxes, such as the wings of the airplanes, formed by metallic panels and composite materials components. INNOHYBOX project, coordinated by Eurecat, investigates the thermo-mechanical behaviour of hybrid boxes with the purpose to optimize them by developing a new robust and experimentally validated design. Currently, it is usual to use a combination of metallic and composites materials in the construction of airplanes wings, but it is necessary more knowledge about the hybrid structure to avoid disadjustments between the components, causing thermal stresses and [...]

Innovative and affordable solutions for advanced car body shells manufacturing and lightweight material strategies for railways, innovative doors and train modularity. The CARBODIN project, coordinated by Eurecat, has the objective to contribute to the next generation of passenger trains that will be lighter and more energy and cost efficient than the current ones. An important step for that is the use of composite technologies, which still face barriers for full implementation such as their high cost. Another important aspect is the modular design of interiors and low-cost manufacturing of vehicles part. The Composites Materials Unit of Eurecat [...]

AMFEED aims to design and manufacture new materials to be used with additive manufacturing techniques to create metal and ceramic parts characterised by their controlled porosity level through sintering processes. These pieces are designed for high-added-value applications, such as healthcare or microelectronics. The project uses methods based on the FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) technique, develops new materials previously unseen on the market ad hoc (filaments with high metal/ceramic content and ceramic pastes), and adapts machinery to this new solution and new applications. FFF technology will provide a controlled way to design and define the internal pores [...]

ECOFIBRA is designing and testing a composite material with advanced mechanical properties made in an additised thermoplastic mould from recovered cellulose fibre. The project will also examine options regarding the application of cellulose fibre to new products and new circular economy business models and will optimise recyclable paper’s journey from the disposal point to the management centre through the design of a stackable container made from the generated composite material. ECOFIBRA will also develop a raw material quality measurement system to improve the quality of the final material. The results of the project will be applied [...]

AIRPOXY reduces the production and maintenance costs of composite parts in the aeronautic sector by introducing a novel family of thermoset composites that preserve all the advantages of conventional thermosets but can also be reprocessed, repaired and even recycled. To achieve so, project partners develop and validate a family of ground-breaking thermoset resins recently patented by CIDETEC, AIRPOXY coordinator, that preserves their high performance, in terms of easy fiber impregnation and overall stability, while showing new unprecedented features. During the project, the thermoset resins will be brought from proof of concept (TRL3) to validation in industrial [...]

Jif2Land project aims to evaluate laminar flow wings technology and to reduce the amount of combustible needed and, ultimately, the environmental and footprint of air transport. The project contributed to the development of the natural laminar flow wing technology and to test the technology on an Airbus A340 aircraft for the validation of the concept; the world’s first commercial test aircraft with a laminar flow wing. The adoption of this technology on commercial aircrafts such as Airbus A340 will allow a considerable reduction in wing friction and will drop CO2 emissions up [...]