Surfaces-Engineering

CIDETEC, the project coordinator, hosted the final meeting of the KaRMA2020 project in San Sebastian (SPAIN) from 28^th to 29^th November 2019. In the last step of the project, the consortium has successfully produced different feather-based raw materials for the manufacturing of innovative bio-based products such as bio-based composites, spun bonded non-wovens, fertilizers, PU paints and coatings with flame retardants properties, biodegradable trays for packaging, among other products. Apart from the scientific publications derived of the project, different routes of exploitation of results are foreseen, including patent applications. The project has been awarded in several occasions showing the huge potential of feather waste as a biogenic source of raw materials.

The month 30 meeting of the ECOXY European project, coordinated by Cidetec, took place on 20 and 21 November at the Aitiip premises in Zaragoza. CIDETEC Surface Engineering was represented by Sarah Montes and Aratz Genua, who gave a general presentation on the progress made as well as a detailed presentation on work package 1 (Project management), including the technical and financial details.

The ECOXY project develops innovative bio-based epoxy resins and fibre reinforcements to produce new sustainable and technologically competitive fibre-reinforced thermostable compounds (FRTCs), focusing on advanced functionalities: repairability, reprocessability and recyclability (3R). 3R functionalities will be achieved through the use of new resin formulae where commonly used curing agents will be replaced by dynamic hardeners. In the photo accompanying the news, one of the largest project demonstrators can be seen, manufactured using bio-based epoxy resins and natural fibres. It is a panel of the back seat of a car that illustrates the promising results achieved so far.

During the course of the meeting the project’s progress in the last 6 months and the main results achieved were discussed. Each WP leader was responsible for explaining the progress and results of their work package with help from the partners involved in each of them. The CIDETEC representatives gave a preview of the next steps to be taken to ensure that the project continues to proceed appropriately in line with that described in the DoA. The next meeting of the consortium will take place next May at the CRF premises in Italy.

The “II Plastic Congress. S3: Safe, Smart and Sustainable”, organised by Aitiip and Plastipolis, was held on 6 November at the CaixaForum in Zaragoza. This congress is a continuation of the one already held in Paris, organised by Plastipolis, and it is intended that it will continue on an annual basis.

The congress addressed different topics within the field of safe, smart and sustainable plastics, including, among other matters, the production of bioplastic materials, products made using this type of material, smart plastics, the end-of-life treatment of plastics and the circular economy.

Elena Jubete and Aratz Genua attended on behalf of CIDETEC Surface Engineering and Aratz Genua was in charge of the presentation “Repairable, Reprocessable and Recyclable Bio-based Composites”, which aimed to publicise the work being carried out in the ECOXY European project, coordinated by Cidetec. This project is an example of how 3R capabilities, using new resin formulations that replace commonly used hardeners with dynamic hardeners, make it possible to repair fibre-matrix delamination and matrix microcracks as well as reprocess cured laminates, offering additional features such as flame retardant properties for 3R resin and self-repairability for fibres.

CIDETEC is one of the organisations that form part of the STELLAR project consortium, which falls within the Clean Sky 2 programme. Clean Sky is Europe’s flagship research programme aimed at developing innovative technologies to reduce CO2 emissions and aircraft noise levels. With funding from the European Horizon 2020 programme, Clean Sky reinforces the collaboration, competitiveness and global leadership of the European aeronautics industry.

The meeting to launch STELLAR was held in October at the premises of Materia Nova, the project coordinator, located in the Belgian city of Mons, and was attended by Marta Fenero and Jesús Palenzuela as representatives of CIDETEC Surface Engineering. The STELLAR project (Development of SmarT Eco-friendly anticontamination technologies for LAminaR wings) has a budget of nearly two million euros and will run for 36 months.

The aeronautical industry faces the challenge of the increase in the resistance coefficient due to the adherence of insects on aircraft surfaces and their negative effect on laminar flow, with the resulting direct impact on fuel consumption. The STELLAR project seeks to obtain information in order to understand the biochemical transformation of haemolymph during the flight phases and the resulting alteration and physical-chemical interaction with the surface of the aircraft, with the aim of developing efficient and durable cleaning solutions and new anti-pollution coatings based on an in-depth knowledge of the properties of insect residues and their interaction with the surface.

The main role of CIDETEC in the STELLAR project involves developing new coatings that help to reduce the adherence of insects on the fuselage of the aeroplane. As part of the project, CIDETEC is leading WP 2, which involves collating the existing work within current state-of-the-art techniques, and WP 5, which involves developing these coatings.

The meeting to kick-off the AMANECO project (ASSESSMENT OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING LIMITS FOR ECO-DESIGN OPTIMIZATION IN HEAT EXCHANGERS) was held on 24 October at the offices of Lortek, coordinator of the project, located in the Basque town of Ordizia. Mª Belén García and Jaime Ochoa attended on behalf of CIDETEC Surface Engineering.

The AMANECO project is part of the Clean Sky 2 programme.  Clean Sky 2 is funded by the European Horizon 2020 programme and reinforces the collaboration, competitiveness and global leadership of the European aeronautics industry.

With a budget of 1.5 million euros and a duration of 36 months, the main objective of this project is to optimise an additive manufacturing process so as to produce heat exchangers and, in particular, to use the potential of the SLM process to create thin layers, one after another, resulting in heat exchangers with a thin wall thickness and also a good surface finish. More specifically, the project seeks to investigate the aerothermal and mechanical performance of thin walls, predict their performance in the design of the heat exchanger and, as a result, be able to optimise the design process in an environmentally friendly way once the limits of the technology are known. The crucial issue will be how to manufacture thin walls with complex structures that still maintain good mechanical properties and the appropriate surface roughness.

Achieving the AMANECO technical objectives will increase the efficiency of heat exchangers and reduce their manufacturing cost, time to market and waste of material and scrap.

The main role of CIDETEC within the AMANECO project is to develop and implement a chemical post-processing method to improve the quality of thin wall surfaces and curves manufactured using additives in AlSi7Mg0.6 and INCO718. CIDETEC is also involved in the evaluation of surface properties and porosity characterisation.