Haydale (NYSE: HAYD), a global advanced materials group, issued a statement at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) yesterday to showcase the world's first graphene skinned aircraft at the internationally renowned Farnborough Air Show.
Haydale provides graphene-reinforced prepreg for Juno aircraft, a three-meter-wide graphene-reinforced composite skin aircraft that was first exposed in the "Future Day" at the Farnborough Air Show 2018.
The prepreg developed by Haydale has great application potential in the fuselage and wing surfaces of large aerospace and spacecraft, especially for the fast-growing drone market and future commercial aviation and aerospace. By incorporating functionalized nanoparticles into epoxy resin, the electrical conductivity and weight of fiber-reinforced composites are significantly improved, lightning protection is enhanced, and the complexity of the manufacturing process is reduced.
The Juno project led by UCLAN can be described as an ideal demonstration of the feasibility of structural application of prepreg and the ability to manufacture components using traditional composite manufacturing methods. Currently, the Juno project is undergoing the next research and development to produce the next generation of lightning strike based on nano-carbon reinforced prepreg Protected alternate material.
This technology has excellent performance advantages in many industries, including large offshore wind turbines, ships, oil and gas, and electronics and control system applications.
Haydale has collaborated with the aerospace teams of the University of Central Lancashire, Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Center and the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester to develop unmanned aerial vehicles, which also include graphene batteries and 3D printed parts.
Haydale CEO Ray Gibbs said: "It is a pleasure to be part of the project team. The Juno project highlights the ability and benefits of using graphene to be fully dispersed in composites to solve key market issues, such as reducing weight to increase range and resistance to lightning strike And protecting aircraft skins from icing.
Haydale Chairman David Banks said, "The debut of the Juno aircraft represents the tremendous benefits that graphene composites can bring to the aerospace industry, highlighting the potential commercial impact of graphene in this important market in the near future."