Sicomin says it has supplied a range of composite materials to help make the SeaBubbles water taxi, designed for use in the world’s urban waterways.
The vessels are based on a futuristic hydrofoil design that glides silently above the water when the craft reaches 12 km/h (7.5 mph). They feature a charging electric drive system converts solar, wind and water power so the vessel does not generate any CO2 emissions.
All of the SeaBubbles composite parts have been produced using a vacuum infusion process where the sandwich structure comprising of reinforcement fibers and a natural cork core are infused with Sicomin’s GreenPoxy InfuGreen810 advanced resin system, which contains 30% carbon content that is derived from plant based origins.
Sicomin also supplied a range of materials including glass fiber multiaxial fabrics, PVC foams with bespoke perforation patterns for infusion, release agents and epoxy spray adhesives to position dry fabrics in the moulds.
Composite structure manufacturer Décision SA, which is part of the Carboman group, has so far completed the first of five SeaBubbles prototypes which were launched in June 2017 on the River Seine in Paris. SeaBubbles plans to operate in 50 cities within the next five years.
This story is reprinted from material from Sicomin, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
