MATERIALS | CONSTRUCTION
Right: Exolon has extended its Ecorange family of
multi-wall and solid sheet
“For some years, we have seen growing demand for our products from PC processors,” said Gabi Bar, polycarbonate product manager at Tosaf. “Our new facility in Alon-Tavor will increase our flexibility in supplying products and further reduce lead times.”
Fire classification Simona says that its PVC-CAW material has been classified according to the DIN EN 13501 standard for fire behaviour. The European standard is an important bench- mark for assessing the fire safety of building materials, so a classification of fire behaviour plays a key role in determining whether building materi- als are suitable for use in individual parts of construction projects, says the company. The material has been classified as B - s3, d0.
This applies to all colours of the grade, as well as to thicknesses of 1-10mm glued to the substrate over the entire surface. This means it meets the building authority requirements for flame-retardant building materials under the conditions specified, says Simona. Classification to DIN EN 13501 confirms the material’s fire-protection properties. It offers a safe, reliable solution for demanding applications where fire protection is critical.
Below: Heliatek has installed organic solar cells at the Port of Barcelona in Spain
Light work EconCore, which manufactures honeycomb sandwich materials, recently showcased a set of lightweight solar panels at JEC World. The company, in collaboration with Solarge, says the design can cut the weight of solar installa- tion by up to 65%. The partners have worked together since 2018 to replace heavy glass with lightweight honeycomb materials. The result, they said, is a recyclable alternative to
traditional materials. A panel measuring just over 2.66 sq m weighs less than 15kg – compared to more than 28kg with the old glass-based design.
“Making photovoltaics lighter, cheaper, and
more efficient means many more buildings will be able to harness solar energy,” said Tomasz Czar- necki, chief operations officer at EconCore. “These panels are also sustainable – which has huge potential in the battle against climate change.” The new solar panels combine a composite, honeycomb structure and a polymer frontside. Rigidity and impact resistance are important properties for solar panels, as bending and impact – such as from hail stones – can result in breakages or decreased efficiency. The honeycomb panels can handle these stresses in different ways, says Econcore. Another advantage of the new design is that it does not require an aluminium frame – unlike glass panels. The circular panels offer improved resistance against UV radiation and higher heat conductivity than glass panels – allowing more effective tem- perature control. The honeycomb panel itself is made from
recycled materials. One possible design focuses on a mono-material solution – where only the solar cells and the encapsulant would be a different material, said the company. Huib van den Heuvel, CCO at Solarge, added:
“Compared to glass-based solar panels the production of this composite product is very easily scalable.”
Solar installation
Adding solar panels to buildings has become increasingly common. German solar energy company Heliatek has completed a project to install organic solar cells at the Port of Barcelona in Spain. It involves installing 584 of Heliatek’s solar films onto undulating rooftops at three port facility buildings. Heliatek says this shows that unconven- tional building structures can become green electricity generators. The installation, completed in February 2023, was part of the Life BIPV project. It will generate
30 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | November 2023
www.filmandsheet.com
IMAGE: HELIATEK
IMAGE: EXOLON
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