Use of nano resins in carbon frames

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sussexhills
Posts: 49
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2016 10:31 am

by sussexhills

Does anyone know of any bike manufacturers currently utilising the use of nano tech in frames or components?

I've got a SuperSix Evo Nano 2015 in size 56, it weighs 707 (inc the FD stop, chainstay protection sticker and warning labels) and the fork was 288 after being cut so 995g total. Impressive for a 56 bearing in mind it's strong too, I've crashed it at high speed in a road race and the frame sustained no damage, supposedly the nano resin strengthens the layup.

As I understand it this method of using free radical polymerization nano tube particles in the resin were extremely toxic and considerably more time consuming to to work with, which is why their use was discontinued by Cannondale from the 2016 models onwards.

I'm also curious if anyone knows anything more on the exact details of what Cannondale was using, and whether anyone can explain how nano tech works, or can link to any further reading?

gitsome
Posts: 749
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:03 am
Location: nyc

by gitsome

Idk anything about cannondale but i know look 595 was supppsedly utilizing nano to add stiffness to bonding between carbon layers so as to strengthen the non-carbon percentage of the frame that was resin used to bond the carbon bits. Thats its function as far as i know tho i recall cannondale mentioning something about a plasticizing effect similar to what easton claimed they were/are doing on their rims to add some flex and resilience.
No idea beyond thay but interested...

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antonioiglesius
Posts: 290
Joined: Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:08 pm

by antonioiglesius

There's that 'graphene' bike
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=140365&hilit=graphene

I've been wondering if that is the same tech as carbon nanotube epoxy. It feels like they're in the same category (i.e. epoxy filler), but if it is indeed graphene (sorry I'm just very tired of hype at the moment) then the molecular structures are different. I don't know how significant the differences in the final product are as a result.

Using the search term 'carbon nanotube epoxy' provides a number of pdfs, here's a more precise search phrase
'Carbon nanotube-reinforced epoxy-composites: enhanced stiffness and fracture toughness at low nanotube content'

and here's one of the articles:
https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/bitstream ... 3_2011.pdf

Nanocomposites modified by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been intensively investigated, as
CNTs have excellent mechanical properties [19-20] and good interface properties when they are
used as a reinforcement with polymeric matrices [21]. For example, Yeh et al. [14] have measured a
significant increase in the Young’s modulus and tensile strength of an epoxy polymer when CNTs
were added. Gojny et al. [22] have investigated the fracture toughness of CNT-based polymeric
nanocomposites and concluded that using nanotubes several microns long with a high aspect ratio
could enhance the fracture toughness. They also showed that the highest value of fracture
toughness was obtained when the CNTs were well dispersed in the polymer. Koratkar and
co-workers [23-26] have also reported that the addition of 10-20 μm long CNTs to an epoxy polymer
reduces the rate of crack growth when the material is subjected to cyclic-fatigue loading.


Finally, I'm not sure if carbon nanotube epoxy are toxic because I see vendors selling it online without classifying it as being any more hazardous than normal epoxy. Perhaps it's just a subset that are toxic?

gitsome
Posts: 749
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:03 am
Location: nyc

by gitsome

Real nano is not graphene, two diff techs, far as i understand nano was basically powdered cf sprinkled into the resin/glue, i dont think cycling companies were using real nano tubes but calling this dust nano...kind of marketing ploy. I could be wrong

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GothicCastle
Posts: 302
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2016 1:52 am

by GothicCastle

sussexhills wrote:I've crashed it at high speed in a road race and the frame sustained no damage?


...no visible damage...

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