{"id":5375,"date":"2023-07-12T09:56:56","date_gmt":"2023-07-12T07:56:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leichtbau.dlr.de\/small-smaller-nano-how-nanoparticles-improve-the-performance-of-adhesives-for-wind-turbine-blades"},"modified":"2023-08-03T11:37:31","modified_gmt":"2023-08-03T09:37:31","slug":"small-smaller-nano-how-nanoparticles-improve-the-performance-of-adhesives-for-wind-turbine-blades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leichtbau.dlr.de\/en\/small-smaller-nano-how-nanoparticles-improve-the-performance-of-adhesives-for-wind-turbine-blades","title":{"rendered":"Small, smaller, nano \u2013 how nanoparticles improve the performance of adhesives for wind turbine blades"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The expansion of electricity generation using wind energy significantly contributes towards the climate-neutral energy supply in Germany. Due to the limited area available, future wind turbines will need to be more economical, with an improved degree of utilisation. The development of larger rotor blades is particularly important for this. However, established materials are nearing their performance limits as blade sizes increase. Rotor blades consist of large composite half-shells that are bonded together. This design requires long and thick adhesive bond lines, which largely determine the overall strength of the blade. Therefore, the development of high-performance adhesives is essential for a new generation of very large systems. In the framework of the <\/strong>BMWK<\/a><\/strong>-project HANNAH,<\/strong> DLR<\/a><\/strong> is working<\/strong> with partners from research and industry (<\/strong>Leibniz Universit\u00e4t Hannover<\/a>;<\/strong> Fraunhofer;<\/a> INVENT<\/a>;<\/strong> TECOSIM<\/a>;<\/strong> Zeisberg Carbon)<\/a>to develop and test innovative hybrid adhesives. For this purpose, conventional fillers are combined with nanoparticles to improve cohesion and fatigue resistance of the modified adhesive systems. Moreover, specific environmental influences such as moisture and temperature need to be considered. <\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Why nanoparticles?<\/h4>\n

As an addition to conventional fillers such as short fibres, the integration of nanoscale particles allows further improvement of material properties. Nanoscale particles have very large specific surface areas, so important processing properties such as high viscosity can be effectively adjusted even with low filler contents. Adhesives used in the wind energy industry have to be thixotropic to ensure the application of thick layers and prevent the adhesive from flowing. Furthermore, void-free application and sufficient processing time must be ensured. In addition to the process properties, the mechanical performance of the adhesives is crucial when they are used to manufacture rotor blades, which are subject to large stresses. Experimental investigations have shown that adhesives reinforced with short fibres have higher stiffness (factor 2.7) and fracture resistance (factor 3). At the same time, however, elongation at break decreases due to the short fibres. Nanoparticles can help to counteract this effect. Thus, combining both fillers enables a customised hybrid adhesive design.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_empty_space]