The companies will initially target the aerospace market.
NanoFabrix™ films are made from commercially available nano and microparticles with excellent abrasion, erosion and conductive properties. When used as a surface ply in a composite material, NanoFabrix provides protection of a surface from corrosion, abrasion, erosion, EMI, electrostatic discharge (ESD) and other conductivity-dependent properties. It can be moulded onto a composite material surface by means of vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM), prepregging or compression moulding.
| Advanced composite materials are already being used on today’s performance aircraft due to their low weight, high strength, and increased longevity. Inclusion of nanomaterials in the structural composites improves already favourable characteristics including safety and fuel efficiency.” |
| Lance Criscuolo, president, Zyvex Technologies |
In the aerospace industry, in addition to EMI shielding, specifically in cockpit electronics, NanoFabrix films are currently being evaluated for anti-icing and de-icing of the lift surfaces and protection against solid-particle erosion and wear of the turbojet turbine blades.
NanoFabrix surface films are said to dramatically improve upon the performance characteristics of virtually any composite material, including low cost glass fibre composites. Recent studies at the Air Force Research Laboratory and University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) validate NanoFabrix’s success with a shielding effectiveness range greater than 90dB on a glass fibre epoxy composite, which results in significant weight reduction for an aircraft, as well as increased payload and range.
Zyvex Technologies' Kentera™ technology creates chemical bonds on carbon nanotubes.
“This unique process allows for the creation of both stronger materials and the opportunity to take advantage of the inherent electrical properties of carbon nanotubes in ways that were previously impossible,” says Andy Dickson, CEO of NanoFabrix.
The partnership between NanoFabrix, of Columbus, Ohio, USA, and Zyvex Technologies, also headquartered in Columbus, is expected to result in multiple new products.
In addition, Zyvex offers NanoFabrix its $40 billion supply chain to commercialise and reach the market.
