TAGS: Electrical & Electronics
The recent three models of electric surf boards from the manufacturer Aquilaboards have battery casings made of Bayblend® FR3010, a high-performance flame-retardant PC+ABS blend from Covestro.
“The plastic material impresses with its balanced property profile, which is a perfect fit for this application,” says Miguel Angel Montero Diaz, Director of Polycarbonates at Covestro Iberia. “Among other things, it combines high heat resistance with excellent mechanical parameters, good flame-retardant properties and outstanding chemical resistance,” he added.
The batteries, when in use, are exposed to wind and weather, heat up during charging and discharging and can fall to the ground. The battery must never be damaged, of course. This is where Bayblend® FR3010 comes into play: the unreinforced injection mold type features improved heat resistance (Vicat/B 120 = 110°C), phenomenal impact resistance and outstanding stress cracking behavior.
Bayblend® FR3010 - Dimensionally Stable and Flame Retardant
The dimensional stability of the surfboards has also proven to be excellent, since the batteries must always fit perfectly into the sockets: gaps can never open up that will allow moisture into the battery, particularly for applications in water. And of course here, Like everywhere else where electricity is involved, it is important to consider flame retardance: at a wall thickness of 1.5 millimeters, Bayblend
® FR3010 achieves the category UL 94 V-0 in the flame retardance test of the Underwriters Laboratories, and Class V-1 at 1.2 millimeters. The blend’s high resistance to chemicals is another advantage; for example, in contact with sunscreen and insect repellents.
For a product that is used outdoors in natural environments, there is another, not completely unimportant aspect: the flame retardant systems in Bayblend® FR3010 are compatible with the requirements of various environmental seals of approval, such as the “Blue Angel” (Germany) or the TCO label, which identifies materials that are designed for recycling.
“Bayblend® FR3010 is an excellent example of the expertise that Covestro was able to accumulate over the years in casing high-performance rechargeable batteries with polycarbonate materials,” says Miguel Angel Montero Diaz. “Thus, in this application as well, Covestro has cemented its reputation as a highly competent provider of specialty materials for electromobility, which can comply with an entire series of complex requirements in a wide temperature range, also in small series applications.”
Electric Surf Boards Latest Models
The recent models of electric surf boards by Aquilaboards team in Bilbao are designed to develop a new environmentally friendly sport: The models:
-
Carver, a motorized surfboard with a power of 5kW
-
Carver X for heavier people – or those who want to reach a higher speed – with a power of 10 kW
-
Manta, a model suitable for everybody that comes with a 750 W jet engine that enables longer excursions.
The boards come with a plug & play battery, which can be easily replaced from the body of the board after a charging time of just 2.5 hours. The Carver X, with its higher performance capacity, works with two of them. Depending on the board, riders can cruise over the waves at maximum speeds of between 10 and around 45 km/h, depending on the model.
Source: Covestro