Chemical Engineering March 2016 - 26

terest in the technology has been
significant, with over 30 companies
inquiring about commercialization
for various applications. When compared
to other crystallized metals, this
material's high specific strength and
specific modulus - said to be the
highest ever reported for a polycrystalline
metal - make it especially useful
for energy-efficient applications,
explains li.
going a step further, the team has
also considered the recyclability of the
material, citing the ease of recycling
magnesium compared with other
materials, such as polymers, as a key
benefit. " The recycling of magnesium
is very easy, since magnesium can
be evaporated by a low-vacuum mechanical
pump and then condensed
to a cold plate. The magnesium nanocomposites
can be recycled by this
technique too, as evaporation can be
used to recycle magnesium while the
HRL Laboratories
FiGure 8. Additively manufacturing parts from
ceramic-based materials has been demonstrated
at bench scale
nanoparticles will be left behind for
collection and cleaning, " says li.
Heat Transfer Research, Inc. (HTRI) began its real-world
thermal process research more than 50 years ago.
These proprietary data and countless studies using
industrially relevant research rigs led to the development
of Xchanger Suite 7 - its acclaimed heat exchanger design,
rating, and simulation software. To ensure your equipment
meets your requirements, Xchanger Suite provides nine
specific modules that offer access to the most advanced
performance prediction methods available.
When you need accurate heat
exchanger performance prediction,
you can count on HTRI.
Boosting materials via 3-D printing
While ceramics boast many attractive
qualities for a variety of applications,
there are some limitations, due
to their extremely high melting point
and brittle structure. Ceramics are
notoriously difficult to machine, and
conventional processing techniques
can inhibit the strength and versatility
of end products. Researchers
at HRl laboratories, llC (Malibu,
Calif.; www.hrl.com) have overcome
these restrictions by formulating a
resin system based on a polymer-derived
ceramic that is compatible with
additive manufacturing processes,
also known as three-dimensional
(3-d) printing. This approach extends
the potential for parts of nearly
any shape or size to be constructed
from ceramics. For more information
on 3-d printing, please see
3-d printing Accelerates, Creating
Cpi opportunities, Chem. Eng.,
Feb. 2015, pp. 20-23.
The silicon oxycarbide-based cewww.htri.net
Circle
19 on p. 90 or go to adlinks.chemengonline.com/61493-19
26
ramic was attractive for 3-d printing,
says Zak Eckel, HRl senior development
engineer, because the polymer's
silicon backbone has the ability
to carry ultraviolet-active functional
groups, which lends itself to the additive
manufacturing process. The resin's
potential was first demonstrated
in a self-propagating photopolymer
wave-guided process, and researchers
decided to test its feasibility for
additive manufacturing. A major advantage
of using this resin for additive
manufacturing is that traditional firing
ChemiCal engineering www.Chemengonline.Com marCh 2016
http://www.hrl.com http://www.htri.net http://adlinks.chemengonline.com/61493-19 http://www.Chemengonline.Com
Chemical Engineering March 2016

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