TAGS: Nanotechnologies New Energy Solutions
Developers from Trelleborg Applied Technology have developed graphene nanotube-modified polymer that solves a great challenge of the renewable energy industry – wind farm radar interference, using graphene nanotubes (also known as single wall carbon nanotubes) produced by OCSiAl.
Nanocomposite to Reduce Radar Cross Section
Developers realized that the problem is the large radar cross section of the turbine, so if cross section can be reduced then the removal of the clutter is possible which solves the radar interference.
In order to reduce it, developers used single wall carbon nanotubes and made nanocomposite which absorbs over 99 percent of the incident radar wave to make the coated object ’stealthy’, which makes it much easier to track aircraft and observe storms.
Ultra-lightweight Nanopolymer
Along with nanotubes' ability to efficiently absorb waves, they also allow new material to be extremely thin. The developers emphasize that this material would otherwise be many centimeters thick, but they managed to reduce it down to just millimeters, thus obtaining an ultra-lightweight nanopolymer. The new absorbing material uses graphene nanotubes, produced by OCSiAl.
Dr Adam Nevin said, “
the product went through a full development cycle from initial research to a scaled-up solution within 10 months. The new absorbing material can be used in diverse product applications in telecommunications, automotive, electronics and antennae solutions, where strict regulations on electromagnetic interference and stray radio-frequency emissions apply”.
Source: OCSiAl