H20 Meets Carbon…Composites
Entropy Surfboards developed a new line of custom-made surfboards incorporating carbon nanotubes
Entropy Surfboards, a division of Entropy Sports, Amroy Europe (Amroy) Ltd., and Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) LLC teamed up to deliver a new line of custom-made surfboards that incorporate carbon nanotubes.
Entropy is using Hybtonite, an advanced epoxy system from Amroy that incorporates Baytubes carbon nanotubes from Bayer MaterialScience, resulting in composite structures it says are tougher and more durable than standard epoxy systems. The surfboards combine performance and durability with the traditional feel of a custom-shaped board.
“I think what’s novel about the work we did with Bayer was the concept of using nanoparticles to fortify matrices, especially in composites, and then of course the use of carbon nanotubes due to their unique mechanical properties,” says Desi Banatao, materials engineer for Entropy. “Some of the development to make these things commercial-worthy is still a work-in-progress,” he adds.
But ultimately, the results should shine a different perspective on the incorporation of new technologies into familiar equipment. “I think the conventional wisdom, especially from a lot of marketing stuff that materials companies are putting out there, states that the introduction of carbon nanotubes can change the static properties of a material like its modulus,” said Banatao. “I don’t think we found that to be the case, it was definitely more dynamic things like fatigue and cycling stresses of these composites.”
