Evolva is collaborating with the US Navy (NAVAIR research facility, China Lake, California) to develop 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. According to Evolva, 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.
Evolva’s resveratrol can reportedly be economically and sustainably manufactured on an industrial scale, converted to a thermosetting monomer, and then polymerized and shaped/moulded using standard fabrication techniques. Prototype materials made from Evolva’s resveratrol have reportedly performed well in preliminary tests, exhibiting a number of advantages over existing fire-resistant materials.
According to Evolva, its resveratrol polymer composites are lighter than aluminum, halogen free, and able to withstand prolonged exposure to intense heat and flame impingement without combusting or structurally degrading. More testing is said to be needed, but if results remain consistent it could usher in a new class of structural composite materials.
Over and above the benefits to the US Navy, there could be a broad spectrum of civilian applications (aviation, aerospace, automotive, public transport, construction, electronics, energy storage and transmission) and professionals (first responders, construction workers, miners, foundry workers, welders, mechanics) that stand to benefit from products fortified with these composites.
I am not familiar with resveratrol so I really need to get more information on this market. By the way, here’s a cute video from Evolva about the sustainable alternative of producing some of these fine chemicals (e.g. vanillin, resveratrol) via fermentation.
