PITTSBURGH - Bayer MaterialScience LLC, a supplier of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, will collaborate with Nanoledge Inc., an epoxy resin formulator, to provide a full range of high-performance epoxy-based materials to the composite market in North America.

 

Alternative energy vehicle (AEV) maker Velozzi and Bayer MaterialScience are collaborating to develop lightweight hybrid electric vehicles to be built with components using Baytubes® multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

 

“We at Velozzi are proud to be at the forefront of producing body and interior components using epoxy, carbon fiber and nanotubes. Baytubes can increase the mechanical properties of our components up to 40 percent. We are excited to work with Nanoledge as a formulator of epoxy resin systems with carbon nanotubes,” said Velozzi head Roberto Jerez.

 

Nanoledge will use its Nano In™ technology to integrate Bayer MaterialScience’s Baytubes multi-walled carbon nanotubes into epoxy resin to improve the mechanical performance of composites. For example, Baytubes will be used to reduce crack growth and improve fatigue, impact and compression resistance, without compromising other properties.

 

Baytubes multi-walled carbon nanotubes can be added to a wide range of materials, including polymer matrices or metal systems, as a modifier or filler to improve their mechanical strength or antistatic properties. They are increasingly used in epoxy, thermoplastic and coating systems.

 

The collaboration, combining Bayer MaterialScience’s expertise in carbon nanotube synthesis and manufacturing with Nanoledge’s expertise in epoxy resin and composite processing, will support a full range of product innovations including ready-to-use formulations and resin films.

 

“Collaborating with Bayer MaterialScience enables us to respond to strong customer demand for higher-performing, epoxy-based composites with improved damage tolerance,” said Benoit Balmana, Managing Director Americas, Nanoledge. “We can improve toughness, compression resistance, fatigue, impact resistance and bending strength resistance without decreasing other performance features of the composite.”