our technology
In TriboBlend we have conceived, designed,
demonstrated and patented a simple, scalable and cost efficient method for
increasing the performance of (nano)particulated, polymeric and composite
materials.
Our technology uses ultra high pressures (up to
4GPa) and shear rates (up to 108 s-1) on liquid phase
materials and mixtures to induce physical and/or chemical modifications, allowing
for impressive increases in their performance in a wide range of industrial applications.
Our process has proved to be able to modify the reactivity of polymer chains by creating scissions in their chemical bonds. It allows, for instance, to control the length of prepolymerised epoxy chains. This opens a wide range of alternative reaction mechanisms reducing the need of catalysers or reagents.
In these industries the use of lighter and more reliable materials is fundamental, as safety and weight reduction are essential. Reinforced polymeric materials have become a standard in the manufacturing of aircrafts.
Our process is able to reduce the crosslinking degree of the resin polymeric chains while increasing their length, thus leading to toughness increases of 200% without nanofiller or elastomer addition and with no reduction in other mechanical properties, allowing to save material and reducing weight at the same service safety factor.
Control of particle size, morphology and distribution is a key parameter in many applications as inks, pharmaceutical products or advanced magnetic components. In TriboBlend, we are able to modify the particulate characteristics at the nanoscale. Our process is also effective in materials with tendency to agglomerate.
In the future, the vast majority of vehicle structural parts will be made out of reinforced polymer materials. In TriboBlend, we can contribute to make this change more cost efficient and eco-friendly.
Our process is able to modify epoxy resins increasing their toughness up to 200% without nanofiller addition and with no reduction in other mechanical properties. It can be translated into a reduction of the quantity of material needed, implying a reduction on the weight and the environmental impact of the automotive industry.
Our technology can enhance the dispersion of pigments, optimizing the quantity added and improving the stability of the coating. In certain kinds of polymer based paints we can also reduce spalling by the improvement achieved in their mechanical properties.
There is an increase in the production of boats made out of GFRP. Our process can improve the performance and properties of the material. It could imply a save in the materials and an improvement in the reliability.
Our technology can also increase the performance of the coatings, which are essential to prevent corrosion in marine environment.
In TriboBlend we can improve the toughness of the materials of the wind turbine blades in a cost efficient way. It would reduce the cost of maintenance and prevent the fatal failure in service.
Our method can also improve the performance of graphene-based nanocomposites due to the enhancements of the dispersion level and the graphene-matrix interfacial adhesion.
Printed circuit boards (PCB) main material is epoxy resin. The low price and advantages in the manufacture process make it a great fit for this application. However, its low fracture toughness, especially in low quality epoxy resins, results in malfunction of the PCB being easier and cheaper to dispose the whole product rather than changing the PCB. In TriboBlend, we aim to increase the product life of this products.
Magnetic applications efficiency, such as motors, is greatly affected by the magnetic particle size. The smaller the size of the particle the higher the magnetic effect and therefore higher the motor performance without any need of increasing the particle quantity.