Spray on technology helps heat composites
A ‘spray-on heating system’ for coating composite parts could be used as a way of de-icing aircraft wings.
A US company has developed a ‘spray-on heating system’ for coating composite parts.
K-factor technology, from Boyce Components, incorporates carbon nanofibres and a layer of thin, porous aluminium (pictured) into unsaturated resins to make them electrically conductive. The company has spent around two years developing the technology.
The company sees a number of potential applications, including anti-static flooring. By passing a standard AC current through the layer, the materials can be heated to around 60ºC, so could be used to make heating pads, industrial heaters or even a way of de-icing aircraft wings.
Temperature can be controlled via a special box, supplied by Boyce, or using thermoswitches.
On a production front, the addition of heat to a composite layer will help it to cure more quickly in the mould.
