The nation’s first and unique High-Performance Fibre research facility under the “National Technical Textile Mission”with Carbon nanotubes reinforced PAN precursor spinning cum testing facility was inaugurated on 14th July 2022 by Shri. Upendra P. Singh, Textile Secretary, GOI along with Ms. Roop Rashi, Textile Commissioner, GOI. The objective of this facility is to promote and support the manufacturing of world-class Carbon fibre in India on the pilot scale with leading cutting-edge technologies.Under this facility, two sophisticated instruments viz. Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA) and Thermo-mechanical Analyzer (TMA) has been installed to study the mechanical/physical/thermal behavior of a wide range of solid materials subjected to various modes.
DMA machine is used to study the visco-elastic behavior of the polymers under the solid state for the determination of Glass transition temperature, Creep resistance behavior, structural integrity at various temperatures, Stress-relaxation, mechanical behavior, Fatigue behavior on a specific temperature and master curve of polymers in very less time than other conventional mechanical characterization machines. It measures these responses in the form of complex modulus (E*) (total strength of the material), Storage Modulus (E’) (Strength of Elastic region), Loss Modulus (E’’) (Strength of viscous/rubbery region) and Tan (delta) (ratio of E’’ to E’) which is extremely difficult to measure by conventional mechanical testing machines/ UTM. Most important is the material performance and lifetime prediction using the Time-Temperature Superposition principle. The DMA machine installed at BTRA has the capability to study the whole visco-elastic region of polymers and makes it a part of essential equipment required for various applications:
Similar to DMA, the TMA facility installed at BTRA is also capable of studying the thermo-mechanical response of the material in the form of dimensional changes at various temperatures. The TMA facility at BTRA can be used for the various measurements of the materials such as- Determination of coefficient of linear expansion of various materials in the various forms (films, solids, fibres, irregular shape solids etc), Shrinkage/Expansion in the films and fibres, Softening of the material, Determination of Glass transition temperature, Creep behavior of the material, etc.
This equipment gives us an understanding of how a material reacts to its environment which is more important from the application point of view.
Apart from the above applications, both these instruments are capable of studying other various applications related to not only textiles, but also plastic, pharma, rubber, paint industry, etc. Interested users / organizations / students can avail above facility installed at BTRA. For more details, contact polyfr@btraindia.com, info@btraindia.com, carbonfibre@btraindia.com,mktg@btraindia.com.
