Properties:
- Low Thermal Conductivity (30-45 mW/mK)
- Low density (20-150 kg/m3)
- Tunable pore size from mesoporous to macroporous
- Hydrophobicity
- Mechanical strength and flexibility
Applications:
- Thermal and acoustic insulation - In buildings, vehicles, clothing and footwear
POLYCYCLE have extremely low thermal conductivity due to their highly porous nanostructure, making them great insulators. They can trap air in their pores which acts as an insulation medium. This property makes POLYCYCLE useful for:
- Building insulation: POLYCYCLE can be used as insulation in walls, roofs and windows to reduce heat transfer into or out of buildings, improving energy efficiency.
- Thermal protectors: POLYCYCLE can be used as thermal protectors for high temperature equipment like furnaces and ovens.
- Clothing insulation: POLYCYCLE are being incorporated into fabrics and clothing to provide insulation.
The porous structure of POLYCYCLE allows them to effectively absorb and diffuse sound vibrations, making them useful acoustic insulators. Applications include:
- Noise control panels: POLYCYCLE can be used in acoustic panels or barriers to reduce noise pollution from roads, aircraft and industrial equipment.
- Soundproofing: POLYCYCLE have been added to materials like fiberglass, foam and fabric to improve their sound absorbing and blocking properties for soundproofing walls, doors and windows.
- Earplugs and hearing protection: POLYCYCLE are being investigated for use in ultralight earplugs and hearing protection devices.
- Filtration media - For gases and particles
The small pore sizes of POLYFILTER made from POLYCYCLE allow them to effectively trap and filter out molecules and particles from gases. Applications include:
- Air purification: POLYFILTER can trap dust, pollen, smoke, odors and other pollutants from air, helping to purify indoor and outdoor air.
- Separating industrial gases: POLYFILTER are used to separate gas mixtures in industrial processes by trapping unwanted molecules.
The nanoporous structure of POLYFILTER can trap particles ranging from nanometers to micrometers in size, making them useful for:
- Face masks: POLYFILTER are being added to N95 and other face masks to improve their ability to trap viruses and other small particles.
- HEPA filters: POLYFILTER-enhanced HEPA filters show improved efficiency in trapping fine particles for air purification.
- Catalytic filters: POLYFILTER impregnated with catalyst particles can be used as filtration media for reducing vehicle exhaust emissions.
- Oil and chemical absorbents - For environmental spill cleanup
Due to their high porosity, POLYSORPBENT made from POLYCYCLE can absorb up to 30 times their own weight in liquids like oil and chemicals. This makes them useful for absorbing and removing spills of:
Oil:
- POLYSORPBENT have been used to absorb and remove large oil spills from bodies of water. They can soak up oil without environmental damage unlike conventional absorbents.
- POLYSORPBENT are used to absorb and recover valuable spilled oils at industrial sites for reuse.
- POLYSORPBENT are added to absorbent booms and pads used for maritime and offshore oil spill cleanup.
Organic solvents and chemicals:
- POLYSORPBENT can absorb a wide range of organic solvents like acetone, benzene, toluene and xylene due to their hydrophobic nature.
- POLYSORPBENT have been used to remove toxic chemical spills from soil and groundwater.
- POLYSORPBENT allow for easy recovery, containment and disposal of absorbed chemicals.
Advantages:
- Made from recycled waste materials
- High-performance insulation
- Lower cost
- Flexibility in properties by varying production parameters
