Expires on: 06/30/2024
The ever-increasing effects of climate change and the imposition of environmental regulations to reduce CO2 emissions encourage the use of environmentally friendly materials in engineering structures.
Wind turbine blades currently face the challenge of recyclability as they are typically made from conventional glass fibre-reinforced epoxy composites. The current end-of-life treatment of wind turbine blades is approximately 50% incineration, whereas the other half is used as landfill. To solve this, using fully bio-based recyclable FRP composites (made of high performance natural fibre reinforced with biobased resins) to replace currently used glass fibre reinforced epoxy can significantly reduce the global carbon footprint. Natural fibres such as hemp and flax unlike synthetic glass and carbon fibres demonstrate particular non-linear behaviour. This specific characteristic is also observed at the scale of composites reinforced with such fibres. The repercussions of this behaviour for a highly structural component must be better understood, to adapt the design where necessary. In addition, natural fibres are hygroscopic which can lead to durability issues when embedded in a composite structure. In particular, biocomposites are more prone to creep and fatigue damage. These issues need to be fully understood and remedies should be used.
Requirements
- MSc degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, materials engineering, or a related discipline.
- Good knowledge of FRP composite mechanics.
- Experience with mechanical/physical characterisation and manufacturing of FRP composite materials.
- Excellent spoken and written English.
- A creative and curious mindset, courageous to take initiative or think outside the box.
- Open to communication, with the ability to work independently or in a team.