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Evolva and US Navy to make resveratrol composites

12 Aug '16

2 min read

Evolva, a pioneer and global leader in sustainable, fermentation-based approaches to ingredients for health, wellness, and nutrition, has joined hands with the US Navy (NAVAIR research facility, China Lake, California), to develop novel composite materials to focus on the development of a new class of structural composite materials engineered from a polymer resin matrix fabricated from a specified formulation of Evolva's resveratrol.

Evolva has produced and delivered this specified formulation, and will continue to work with the Navy to advance this new class of composites.

Currently available structural carbon composites are often unsuited for high-energy, high fire-risk applications such as fuel tanks, engine components, high-rise buildings, elevators, rockets, trains, and lithium battery casings, to name just a few.

The polymer resin matrix being tested for the new class of composite materials is made from a special formulation of Evolva's resveratrol, which can be economically and sustainably manufactured on an industrial scale using advanced biotechnology and fermentation, converted to a thermosetting monomer, and then polymerised and shaped/moulded using standard fabrication techniques.

Prototype materials made from Evolva's resveratrol have performed well in preliminary tests, exhibiting a number of advantages over existing fire-resistant materials. Resveratrol polymer composites are lighter than aluminium, halogen free, and able to withstand prolonged exposure to intense heat and flame impingement without combusting or structurally degrading.

Evolva CEO Neil Goldsmith said, “Engineering with biology provides a way to produce a whole range of product innovations that would otherwise be impossible to achieve economically and sustainably.” (GK)

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India