NIT Rourkela Secures Patent For Advanced 3d-Reinforced Composite Technology For Aerospace, Automotive And Renewable Energy
To overcome this limitation, the researchers developed a hybrid composite by integrating glass fibres with graphene nanoplatelets aligned through the thickness of the material: Reports
ROURKELA: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela has secured a patent for an innovative three-dimensional (3D) reinforced composite manufacturing technology that significantly enhances the strength, durability and damage tolerance of Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites, marking a major breakthrough in advanced materials research.
Developed by researchers at the FRP Composite Laboratory of the department of metallurgical and materials engineering, the patented technology has potential applications in aerospace, automotive, renewable energy, defence, marine engineering and hydrogen storage.
The research team comprised Dr. Rajesh Kumar Prusty, Assistant Professor, Prof. Bankim Chandra Ray, Professor, and research scholar Mr. Parimal Jana of NIT Rourkela, in collaboration with Dr. Dinesh Kumar Rathore of MNIT Jaipur.
FRP composites are widely used in aircraft, defence systems, launch vehicles, high-speed rail, wind turbines and pressure vessels because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance and design flexibility. However, conventional composites are susceptible to internal delamination and crack propagation under heavy loading, affecting their long-term performance.
To overcome this limitation, the researchers developed a hybrid composite by integrating glass fibres with graphene nanoplatelets aligned through the thickness of the material. A key feature of the patented process is the use of a standard 50 Hz alternating current electric field at 800 volts during curing, enabling uniform alignment of graphene within the composite through a simple modification of conventional manufacturing techniques.
“Our technology has wide-ranging applications wherever lightweight yet damage-tolerant materials are essential, including aircraft panels, automotive crash structures, wind turbine blades, marine structures and pressure vessels,” said Dr. Rajesh Kumar Prusty.
Laboratory tests conducted as per ASTM standards showed impressive performance gains, including a 37 per cent increase in tensile strength, 30 per cent improvement in flexural strength, 63 per cent enhancement in flexural modulus, 24 per cent improvement in interlaminar shear strength, and up to 53 per cent increase in fracture toughness, along with a 55 per cent higher storage modulus at 40 degree Celsius.
Prof. Bankim Chandra Ray said the innovation could reduce maintenance costs, improve energy efficiency and promote sustainable manufacturing while supporting India's Atmanirbhar Bharat mission in advanced materials.
The research team is now working on testing the material in larger structural components and pursuing industry partnerships and technology licensing for commercial deployment.