SmartFAN

Modelling activities ranging from atomistic, mesoscopic, coarse grain to continuous models to support materials developments (Politecnico Di Torino, ITAINNOVA).

Innovative components for smart applications The properties of smart materials can be changed or tailored to suit the environment in which they are being used, offering new potential applications across many areas of industry.

Researchers in the SmartFAN project developed innovative components with new functionalities exploiting smart materials, as Professor Costas Charitidis, Project Coordinator, explained.

There is a

wide variety of potential applications of smart materials, including in the automotive, energy and pharmaceutical sectors. Researchers from the EU-funded SmartFAN project developed sophisticated components with smart functionalities.

“In the SmartFAN project we investigated nanomaterials that are used to functionalise carbon fibres to introduce different functionalities into composite materials - we are talking here about carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRPs),” explains Professor Costas Charitidis, the project’s Coordinator.

Researchers are using nano-/micro- composites with unique physicochemical properties, which then opens up wider possibilities. “Combining functionalised carbon fibres and nanomicro materials with unique physicochemical properties leads to the emergence of carbon fibre reinforced polymers with new functionalities.”

Development of CNTs on CFs through Chemical Vapour Deposition for sensing applications (NTUA)

materials and also conducted modelling and simulations, in order to predict the impact on the properties of the composite, like its thermal and electrical conductivity.

“For example, for carbon-based nanomaterials, we are using different types of carbon nanotubes and different graphene

derivatives,” says Dr Tanja Kosanovic, project manager and research associate of RnanoLab. “Before using these materials in the composites, we first evaluated and simulated their properties in order to select the right combination. We did multi-scale modelling on different scales, from the atomistic to the mesoscopic level and finally to the macro scale.”

A certain type of nanomaterial can be used to introduce a variety of different functionalities, such as self-healing; an area which has attracted a lot of attention in research as a way to increase the service life of materials and reduce infrastructure maintenance costs. A crack of course first needs to be detected before it can be repaired or healed, a topic that has been addressed in the project by ITAINNOVA, one of the partners in SmartFAN. “Microcapsules filled with chromophore substances are used to detect defects in a structure – these microcapsules

Injection moulded fan wheel with selected Smartfan material (ELICA SPA).

release chromophores, exposing the position of a crack,” he outlines. These chromophores are fluorescent, clearly indicating where the composite has been damaged, then once the crack has been located it can be repaired. “We add micro-capsules in these composites, that have an active agent at their core, together with a catalyst, that enables the self-healing of the cracks. When a crack occurs these capsules are ruptured and this healing agent is released to fill the crack.”

Demonstrators & Applications This type of functionality holds wider relevance to companies keen to harness the potential of innovative new materials, yet it must not come at the cost of important physical properties like strength and weight. Some structural elements of composite materials are included for their physical properties, and Professor Charitidis says factors like weight and strength are both major considerations in development. “Maximising the strength of the components is an important target for automotive applications.”

In other cases, like the smart grabbing device developed in SmartFAN, the priority

Tooling and manufacturing of the racing front wing demonstrator (Dallara Automobili SPA).

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Electrodes obtained through spray-gun deposition method of GNPs/CNTs (THALES).

have partners in the project with expertise in innovation management, technology transfer and exploitation that have guided us towards commercial needs.”

A manufacturing technology capable of producing these components more efficiently could reduce costs and open up the possibility of applying them more widely, beyond the areas that have already been identified. Researchers reached technology readiness level (TRL) 6 by the end of the project, which provides strong foundations for continued development of these components, yet the decision on whether to develop them further lies with the companies that could use them. “Universities and research institutes can support businesses

A prototype 3D printer extruder to support continuous fiber 3D printing and Composite fan prototype with thermally responsive blades (BIOG3D).

Modular structure made of CFR “hands” and a pentagonal base, and shape memory polymer composite (SMPC) hinges activated through external heating system (Universita Degli Studi Di Roma Tor Vergata).

Smart by design The functionalities of a composite material, such as the ability to change shape for example, can be predicted on the basis of knowledge of its component parts and its structure. This is related to the concept of ‘smart-by-design’, which means that researchers can understand how the addition of a nanomaterial will affect the final properties of the composite. “The smart-by-design principle, defines what material to add, and what functionality will be offered,” says Professor Charitidis. In the project, researchers have developed new

is different. “This smart grabbing device is made from shape memory polymer composite laminates. The functionality in extreme conditions - namely space - is of high importance,” stresses Professor Charitidis. Researchers are exploring different possibilities in order to develop components relevant to specific applications; one major potential area of application is the automotive industry. “We have two demonstrators for high-end racing cars, the front wing and an energy absorber made from functionalised composites. In future there will be broader applications of nanocomposites in thermoplastics, for example in domestic appliances.”

The determining factor here is the nature of the application itself. The aim in the project is to serve industrial needs, with researchers investigating different routes to develop components relevant to specific applications.

“This is not a basic research project. If we can prove that the materials are effective in certain applications, then this may open up further possibilities,” says Professor Charitidis.

Intelligent structures have been developed specifically for the different applications targeted in the project, illustrating the wider potential of smart materials. “Materials developed in the project were targeted and demonstrated for applications in home appliances, the automotive sector, the electronics industry and potential use in space,” continues Professor Charitidis. “We

Development of magnetic nanoparticles for healing and chromophore microcapsules for damage sensing (ITAINNOVA)

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SmartFAN Smart by Design and Intelligent by Architecture for turbine blade fan and structural components systems

Project Objectives

The goal of SMARTFAN project is the development of “smart” materials and architectures, with integrated functionalities, that will interact with their environment and react to stimuli. Their smartness is based on the use of functionalised carbon fibres (f-CF), CF reinforced polymers and nano-/micro- composites with unique physicochemical properties. With the application of Smart-by-Design and Intelligentby-Architecture, structural component systems have being developed. Using the developed “smart” materials, SMARTFAN is approaching intelligent structures through two different design concepts, L (layer) and G (grid) concepts.

Innovative processes are being carried out, in order to preserve the special physico-chemical properties of smart material composites

Quantification of exposure hazards during PA/Carbon Fiber co-deposition (IRES/NTUA).

Project Funding

H2020 (NMBP-04-2017 Architectured / Advanced material concepts for intelligent bulk material structures) budget Grant (SmartFAN): Grant agreement 760779.

Project Partners

18 Industrial and academic partners with complementary and multidisciplinary expertise: https://www.smartfan-project.eu/partners/

Contact Details

Project Coordinator, Prof. C.A. Charitidis Professor, School of Chemical Engineering 9 Heroon Polytechniou St., Zographos, Athens, Greece GR-157 73 National Technical University of Athens T: +30 210 772 4046 E: charitidis@chemeng.ntua.gr W: http://nanolab.chemeng.ntua.gr/ W: https://www.smartfan-project.eu/ Thank to project partners Dallara Automobili, ITAINNOVA, University di Roma Tor Vergata, Elica SPA, BIOG3D, Politecnico Di Torino, IRES and Thales for providing the images contained within this article.

Prof. C.A. Charitidis

Costas Charitidis is Professor in the School of Chemical Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens and Director of the Laboratory of Advanced, Composite, Nano Materials & Nanotechnology. He has more than 25 years of experience in the fields of Materials Science & Nanotechnology, Carbon-based materials and Safety impacts of Nanotechnology.

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in developing new materials, but the decision on whether to take them beyond TRL 6 rests with the companies themselves,” says Professor Charitidis. The intention is to deliver ideas and effective demonstrators to industry, while researchers are also investigating other novel materials in further projects. “A new project started a few months ago called Carbo4Power, in which we are addressing novel composite materials for offshore applications,” outlines Professor Charitidis.

This could help extend the lifetime of a material, which has a significant impact on the overall analysis of its cost, another important consideration in the project. In assessing the environmental impact of ‘smart’ products, researchers consider not only the operation phase, but also the resources used in their development, usage and eventual disposal.

“It’s not just about the production,” stresses Professor Charitidis. The wider picture here is that with a deeper knowledge of nano and

Combining functionalised carbon fibres and nanomicro materials with unique physico-chemical properties leads to the emergence of carbon fibre reinforced polymers with new functionalities!

Recycling The project’s scope also includes research into the efficient recycling and reuse of these composite materials, part of the wider goal of using resources more efficiently and establishing a circular economy. It is currently fairly challenging to recycle composite materials, partly because the different elements need to be separated, so researchers are working to develop smarter, more effective recycling processes. “The target is to recycle full components, and at larger scale,” outlines Dr Kosanovic. A new recycling process has been developed in the project which is designed to be more environmentally-friendly, reflecting wider concerns around the sustainability of current resource consumption patterns. “The target here is to recover full carbon fibre fabrics, in order to demonstrate that they can then be re-used in new, smaller components.”

micro materials, composite materials can be tailored more specifically to their intended application, increasing their service life. “The design aspect is of crucial importance in such structures,” explains Professor Charitidis.

“A material may be safe by design, green by design, or cost-effective by design, for example. In some applications the aim might be to combine all, while in others the objective may be different, keeping a balance between performance and sustainability.”

A further initiative called Repair3D deals with the recycling of carbon fibres, with the aim of closing the circularity loop, while other projects are also in the pipeline, reflecting the wider importance attached to the development of smart materials. As more sophisticated and cost-effective materials are developed, smart materials are likely to be applied more widely in areas such as aerospace, sport, health and the electronic industry.

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