Conductive Bamboo Composite

Rasei wishes to develop a conductive bamboo composite that can be utilised to replace glass fibre or other materials in applications that require structurally strong, light weight, durable materials that are also conductive. The requirement to switch to bamboo from traditional composite fibres will enable us to address the challenges faced in certain sectors concerning downstream environmental factors and to tackle the problems associated with the sustainable production of an advanced material. The secondary need for such an advanced material, that is also conductive, is to potentially address a number of problems that include material wear, lightning strikes and interestingly an MOD location capability focused on radar clutter.

Rasei has initially identified challenges in the wind turbine market regarding the material used to manufacture turbine blades and the associated environmental impact, but there are other opportunities in aviation and automotive. The end-of-life solutions for the disposal of current glass fibre and carbon fibre turbine blades are currently unsustainable and therefore damage the green credentials of power generation by wind. As a sector there is a huge end of life challenge looming in 2030 as the fist blades with a service life of 20 years are decominssioned. Rasei aims to significantly reduce the environmental impact of turbine blades both during manufacture and at their end of life. In order to develop this exciting material, we need to research; bamboo fibres, biodegradable resins, and methods that will enable us to functionalise those resin systems with Graphene to create a conductive backdrop and also increase the mechanical attributes of the material. The mechanical attributes could also create a better material than glass fibre lasting up to 20% longer. After developing an initial material, we will proceed to test its mechanical and electrical abilities alongside the materials capabilities to break down once the end of life has been defined. This will help to ensure a sustainable product lifecycle. The purpose for the project is to develop a greener advanced conductive composite than is currently available. This new composite can initially be used to replace the glass fibre in wind turbine blades at a comparable or better cost. The material will also deliver advantages such as lightning protection and signal distribution which will be key advantages for the proposed application in wind turbine blades.