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Specialty chemicals manufacturer, (Wesel, Germany) has reported that its  additive product has earned Germanischer Lloyd (DNV GL, Oslo, Norway) Type Approval certification, for use within wind turbine rotor blades’ glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin systems. 

With the global trend growing for larger wind turbines — and thus, longer, heavier rotor blades — BYK says the BYK-C 8001 coupling agent enhances the material’s mechanical strength by up to 60% via an enhanced glass fiber matrix bonding, resulting in a more robust rotor blade. Addition features include more design freedom and universal applicability; for example, the product may be deployed in a liquid state, enabling easier dosage when using amine hardeners, BYK says. Fatigue test results are said to directly indicate longer blade life when applying the additive. Further, it is reportedly deployable “irrespective of age” with every epoxy-compatible glass fiber fabric, while maintaining consistent high quality in the finished component.

BYK notes that BYK-C 8001, available globally, has potential in comparable systems such as automotive or aviation components.