Basalt fibre reinfored HDPE for wave energy converters

This project addresses the renewable energy theme, with the objective of establishing the technical feasibility

of basalt fibre reinforced High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) as a material for the primary structure of an ocean

wave energy converter (WEC). HDPE offers a low cost structural material that is resistant to UV, corrosion and

biofouling increasing the lifetime and reducing the maintenance requirements for a wave energy converter.

While fibre reinforced HDPE has been previously investigated, the use of basalt fibres is innovative and offers

superior properties compared to a standard E-glass which is commonly used in fibre composite manufacture.

Basalt fibre is also chemically inert and when combined with recycled HDPE potentially offers a high

performance, low cost, green structural material for WEC's. The project will develop a suitable composition for

the material that provides improved mechanical properties over unreinforced HDPE while retaining exiting

advantages of the material when used in the ocean environment.