Zyvex unveils lightweight boat made from CNT-enhanced prepreg
Reducing the weight of any vehicle, be it a roadster or a boat, has a dramatic influence on its fuel-efficiency. Carbon fiber has already shown its worth in racing cars and other vehicles that demand speed, efficiency and power at the same time, and now it’s turn of the watercrafts to witness the change. Zyvex Performance Materials (ZPM) has unveiled a new boat that has been made with the company’s carbon nanotube enhanced pre-impregnated fibers, which they call Arovex®.
540SE, as the boat has been entitled, is a 54-foot watercraft which weight just 8000 pounds. The company claims that the weight is about 75% less than other boats made from glass fiber composite materials. This reduction means that the boat needs just 25% horsepower than other boats of the same size. Zyvex states that the boat’s environmentally responsible specifications would lead to the development of a new category of boats, which are light in weight and require less fuel.
The boat has specifically been designed for military use and owing to the reduction in weight the boat can be carried or airdropped at any desired location. The company claims that a prototype should be available by November this year, and recreational versions should be made available in the early part of next year through Synergy Yachts.
Via: ReinforcedPlastics
