CarboTex

#Graphene may be the key material to smooth out #carbon #fiber’s high price At the end of May, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley reached the International Space Station after a short yet stylish 19-hour journey. Powered by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, their escape from Earth’s atmosphere was historic in that it marked the first time a private company launched humans into orbit. Behnken and Hurley will stay in orbit for...Continue reading

Can flying directly from point-to-point become as common as driving? If the team at SAMAD Aerospace has their way, the answer is yes, as Urban Air Mobility becomes more prevalent. And the Q-Starling can be flown by pilots with a modified Private Pilot License (PPL) qualification. SAMAD aerospace’s concept 2-seat Q-Starling is a high-end Personal Air Vehicle (PAV) combining the best of design elements from jets and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. SAMAD did not s...top there. They also incorporated elements from high-end sports cars such as Aston Martin, Jaguar usa., and Maserati in the interior design of the cockpit for efficiency, comfort, and visibility. The use of carbon fiber throughout the PAV leads to high-performance capabilities and enhances maneuverability thanks to the increased strength and lightweight. The power for the Q-Starling comes from an environmentally conscious hybrid-electric system. The turbo-generator runs on bio-diesel/SAF (sustainable aviation fuel). Once the aircraft has transitioned from vertical flight, a large diameter hover fan provides forward thrust. The turbo-generator then becomes a turbo-jet in conventional flight. The Reaction Control System (RCS) fans in the wing and tailplane maintain control and balance. The Q-Starling will carry one pilot and one passenger. With a length of 8.08 meters and a wingspan of 7.92 meters, the PAV will support a maximum take-off weight of 1,040 kg. Cruise speed is 250 kt (300 mph) and the maximum speed is 300 kt (360 mph). The aircraft boasts a range of 500 miles. Describing the company’s newest endeavor, Dr. Seyed Mohseni, CEO and founder of SAMAD Aerospace, said, The Q-Starling will give owners the ultimate luxury in personal hybrid-electric flying. The efficient sustainable Q-Starling will give passengers unparalleled point-to-point mobility options.

MANSORY followed-up its successful conversion of an Audi RS 6 estate car with the conversion of the Audi RS Q8 luxury SUV. The RS Q8 is based on the style of the RS6, with even more aggressive carbon fiber use and styling. MANSORY modified several body parts to include carbon fiber, improving both the aerodynamics and downforce of the vehicle. The front and side skirts of the RS Q8 are now designed of carbon fiber and the rear skirt of the vehicle is finished in visible carb...on fiber. The exterior of the SUV is black with red stripes and accents, adding to the sporty look. The hood of the RS Q8 is also built of carbon fiber. All carbon fiber components of the vehicle are manufactured in MANSORY’s own autoclaves. The interior of the MANSORY vehicle features the red and black motif as well and carbon fiber trim. Even the steering wheel is wrapped in a leather and carbon fiber hybrid. As for the powerful engine, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 in the RS Q8 features a modified ECU unit and a high-performance exhaust system. With 780 hp, the vehicle accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in only 3.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 320 kph. Tires and wheels measure 10 x 24 and 12.5 x 24 inches with 295/30R24 and 355/25R24 fill the front and rear. The MANSORY YN.5 forged wheel on the RS Q8 increases stability and improves handling. Y.5 aluminum rims measuring 10.5 x 23 inches are also available.

Perfecta armonía entre materiales Maserati

Automotive tuning company 1016 Industries follows on from its camouflage-wrapped Lamborghini Urus with an even wilder iteration, introducing the Green Urnet as commissioned by Harrison Woodruff. The Lamborghini Urus seen above features a full carbon fiber widebody kit that’s made using a special and incredibly extensive prepreg process that sees multiple layers of carbon layered over eachother at varying angles. The result creates a Storm Grey and Jade carbon weave that...’s rigid, flexible, and tough which in turn makes for a stronger body kit that can be manipulated to create fluidity throughout the design, thus improving aerodynamics. Furthermore, lighter and more flexible carbon fiber has been used throughout the interior, reworking elements such as the steering wheel. This is joined by a star light kit woven into the roof panel that lights up the interior like a night sky (similar to that found on a Rolls-Royce for example), while plenty more uniquities have been added all around the car inside-and-out. On the exterior, you’ll find green details highlighting components such as the brake calipers, while the overall wider stance makes the Urus look as powerful as it is. Indeed, 1016 Industries has tuned the Lambo’s twin-turbo V8 engine to produce over 800 HP, achieved via an engine tune and a significant exhaust upgrade that delivers a menacing and crackling sound alongside flames exiting from the rear. The 1016 Industries Lamborghini Urus Green Urnet is due to be showcased on February 26 at the Race Rally Miami by Woodruff. For those that can’t make it, take a look at the $350,000 USD custom Urus above.

Life at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) hopes improve the efficiency of its future electric vehicles through increased use of lightweight composite materials. The automaker is leading an industrial consortium in the Tucana Project, a four-year program that aims to accelerate the implementation of electric powertrains and lightweight materials in the United Kingdom auto industry. Research undertaken as part of the Tucana Project will lead to the development of lighter vehicle structur...es that use materials like carbon fiber in place of the steel and aluminum used in today's JLR vehicles, the automaker said in a press release Tuesday. Goals for the project include increasing structural stiffness by 30%, and reducing the weight of the basic vehicle structure by 77 pounds, JLR said. The automaker expects to have a fleet of test vehicles ready by 2022. Reducing weight improves nearly every aspect of a vehiclefrom acceleration to efficiency. When it comes to electric cars, a lighter body shell also allows for a larger battery pack, and thus increased range, JLR said. Automakers have been focusing on weight reduction both to meet stricter efficiency standards and to counteract the accumulation of safety and convenience features in modern cars. But it's usually not as easy as simply substituting one material for another. Carbon fiber generally means a more intensive manufacturing process, but one that pays off in weight savings, and in terms of lower lifetime emissions. Automakers have considered using it for everything from bodies to interiors and even wheels, but it's caught on more slowly than anticipated. It's still mostly used in low-volume applications, primarily in performance vehicles. While companies continue looking for ways to scale up carbon-fiber production, various projects hope to make carbon fiber from plants with less carbon impactpossibly even close to carbon-neutral. One project in Sweden even aims to use carbon-fiber vehicle body panels as "mass-less" batteries. That would dramatically reduce weight by eliminating the need for a separateand very heavybattery pack, but is still only in the research stage.

Toray Composite Materials America, Inc. announced on May 27 that its Toray TC346 prepreg resin system has passed the SFI 56.1 and UL94 V0 flame-retardancy tests. The distinction demonstrates the system’s ability to satisfy the demands of F1, NASCAR and other high-performance automotive and #motorsport markets in attaining significant performance improvements. A high-temperature epoxy system, Toray TC346 was engineered to handle a range of demanding motorsport applications, ...such as gearbox and suspension components, which require a high service temperature and high toughness. The material is said to offer high compression strength, high interlaminar shear strength, high in-plane shear modulus and good elevated temperature tensile strength. Further, the TC346 system offers a surface finish for aesthetic appeal and controlled resin flow to simplify lay-up and curing production. According to Toray, other motorsport component applications that require lightweighting, high glass transition temperatures, high compression strength and high fractional toughness would also benefit from the prepreg’s properties. TC346 is available in a wide variety of uni-directional tapes and fabric styles.