A Renewable Bio-Epoxy For Space

Epoxy resins are a mainstay of modern airspace manufacturing and have been for the better part of several decades. These materials are combined with strong carbon, kevlar, and fibreglass to create structural composites in aerospace and space applications.

Although current epoxy resin reinforced composites show incredible properties of high strength and low weight needed in the extreme environments of space, they can also degrade very rapidly with constant exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

In this latest iLAuNCH Trailblazer project, all three of our partner universities, the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), The Australian National University and the University of South Australia will work with Adelaide-based green innovation company Change Climate Pty Ltd / BYOXY to explore the suitability of a bio-epoxy resin for the manufacture of sustainable and highly durable composites for aerospace applications.

“The novel bio-epoxy formulation being investigated in this project has a game changing characteristic of being insensitive to ultraviolet radiation, which could open up their applicability in aerospace and space environments,” said iLAuNCH Chief Technology Officer, Dr Joni Sytsma.

“As the ultraviolet radiation environment of space is so severe, current epoxy resins do not survive even months. So if this material is indeed superior to traditional petrochemical based epoxy formulations, then it could open up incredible new avenues for space hardware manufacturing in Australia.” University of Southern Queensland’s Dr Allan Manalo, Professor in Civil Engineering will lead the project from Toowoomba, working with Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia Professor Colin Hall, and Eduardo Trifoni, Head of the National Space Test Facility National Space Test Facility, Australian National University.

“We are looking to mature current research from the Centre for Future Materials at the University of Southern Queensland which will integrate Change Climate’s bio-epoxy resin into the aerospace industry” said Dr Allan Manalo.

Change Climate ‘BYOXY Bio-Epoxy Resin’ is the world’s only bio-based epoxy resin made from 100% renewable resources. They are non-toxic and a recycling by-product from the manufacture of sustainable biodiesel and other industries.

“Change Climate is looking forward to working with the iLAuNCH Trailblazer universities in a joint project that will increase sovereign capability for manufacturing of aerospace structures,” said Change Climate CEO, Sean Steed.

“We will leverage the University of Southern Queensland’s extensive experience in structural composites, utilising their capabilities to manufacture and test these structures and assess their suitability for a wide array of markets.”

Laboratory experiments at UniSQ already show that this bio-epoxy resin system has very low shrinkage properties and superior ultraviolet properties. This further work will completely assess the radiation resistance, resistance to atomic oxygen, corrosion resistance, outgassing, and therma

The successful completion of this project also relies on the advanced environmental simulation testing facilities the University of South Australia and The Australian National University, providing proactive collaboration for the adoption and commercialisation of this technology.