Multi-functional skins incorporating carbon (MuSIC)

This project is a collaboration between Haydale Ltd, Thales and University of Bath. The aim of the project is to assess the
feasibility of employing graphene based polymer skins for sensing and deicing applications. The are major issues
associated with deicing are in aircarft, at airports, transmission power lines, instrumentation, antenna masks, wind turbines
and the exploration of cold environments (e.g. oil and gas). Such a sensing surface can be integrated with thermally active
(shape changing) structures to achieve structural deflection for combined thermal-mechanical de-icing. The opportunity to
limit the extent of ice build-up on structures has broad application opportunities and enable light weight structures with
reduced material costs and fuel saving for mobile applications and improved performance for instrumentation.

The are major issues associated with deicing with aircarft, airports, transmission power lines, wind turbines, antenna masks/instrumentation, and the exploration of cold environments (e.g. oil and gas). The business opportunity is therefore to exploit the thermal properties of graphene and the patent protected functionalisation process of Haydale to produce well dispersed graphene polymer skins that are compatible with a range of engeering surfaces with a sensing and heating function for deicng applications. When the heating skin is combined with structural materials with a thermal mismatch there is the ability to use thermal strain as an efficient and innovative electro-thermal-mechanical deicing system. Thales are endusers to examine the performance of the deicing skins in comparison to existing deicing technologies (e.g. a comparison of cost, weight and current density requirements). The University of Bath provide skills and characterisation facilities to understand the links between measured electrical properties and the dispersion of the graphene composites.

In addition to a smart skin, there are also other benefits and business opportunities from understanding the electrical properties of graphene based composites. An understanding of the dispersion of nanoscale carbons and its impact on electrical properties is crucial for emerging markets in conductive inks (1.5 billion USD market in 2014), printed electronics, RFID applications, smart packaging. Similar issues arise in energy storage applications such as supercapacitors where the material is attempting to compete against activated carbons. Energy storage and composites ('composites' are the focus in this project) are expected to grow ; see Figs.1-2 in Appendix A. It is of interest to note a recent report highlights that in "the long run, if the multifunctional capabilities of the material - including modulus, electrical and thermal conductivity, transparency, impermeability, and elasticity - can be combined in an economic and scalable manner, it could serve as an enabling platform for novel uses" and this is oneapproach of this project. It has long been recognised (Airbus - Hi per Nano, March 2014) that a primary barrier to the commercial exploitation of nano-enhanced materials is the ability to deliver consistent nano-enhanced materia