HKUST develops composite aluminum to bring new breakthroughs to the construction industry

China Aluminum Network: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (UST) Professor Chen Ruibin of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering led the research team on the 23rd to announce that it has successfully mixed aluminum and carbon fiber, developed a new composite aluminum, and cooperated with the team to develop insulation materials that can be used The external walls of the building are initially expected to be launched sooner next year.

Because of the low rigidity and hardness of aluminum, which is generally not sufficient for construction, the study has two main purposes. The first is to strengthen the aluminum, so that aluminum can have a wider range of uses. In addition, we hope that aluminum can be effectively used in buildings to achieve energy-saving effects.

Newly-developed building composite aluminum, which combines aluminum and carbon fiber through nanotechnology, has a 30% higher hardness than normal aluminum. The electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity have also been improved, which helps to dissipate heat and thus achieve energy savings. Prof. Chen Ruibin said, “I hope that aluminum is no longer used only for small structures such as window frames and can be incorporated into building materials”.

Chen Ruibin pointed out that composite aluminum is used together with the insulation materials developed by the team to create more energy-efficient building facades. Currently, building electricity consumption accounts for 90% of Hong Kong's total electricity consumption. Nearly 50% of this is from the air-conditioning system. This intelligent building envelope structure can effectively regulate room temperature and save up to 50% of electricity consumption.

The intelligent building envelope structure is composed of multiple layers of materials, including composite aluminum, phase change materials, and materials used for heat insulation and fire protection. The team spent two years to find a combination of better results. At present, tests have been conducted to show that the smart enclosure has a 60% higher stiffness and stiffness than a typical curtain wall. This effectively counteracts a strong typhoon and the durability can be estimated to increase by at least 30%.

Chen Ruibin said that three years of research starting from 2011 will be extended for one year to improve the problem of aluminum impurities generated by heating or cooling of composite aluminum. It is expected that composite aluminum can be applied in different areas, such as manufacturing automobiles, electronic products, aircraft and building materials. .