DCPD Buoyancy Component for Low-Exotherm Deepwater Syntactic Foam

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing buoyancy materials like syntactic foams, particularly those using epoxy or polyurethane resins, face challenges such as high viscosity, exothermic curing, brittleness, and limited filler content, which restrict their effectiveness and safety in subsea applications, especially when using thermoplastic components.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a composition of DCPD resin, a ruthenium or osmium catalyst, and glass microspheres, where macrospheres made of glass fibre filled thermoplastic compound form between 50-70% of the volume, allowing for a higher filler content and lower exothermic curing, resulting in a stiffer and more buoyant syntactic foam.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If epoxy resin is used in syntactic foam, then strength and stiffness are improved, but viscosity becomes too high to be workable and exotherm exceeds 150°C causing damage to thermoplastic components

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidviscosity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the resin system by using DCPD (dicyclopentadiene) instead of epoxy resin. This parameter change results in lower viscosity that remains workable even with high filler content, while the exotherm is controlled to below 150°C, preventing damage to thermoplastic macrospheres during curing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If epoxy resin is used in syntactic foam, then strength and stiffness are improved, but exotherm exceeds 150°C causing damage to thermoplastic components

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidexotherm

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the resin system by using DCPD (dicyclopentadiene) instead of epoxy resin. This parameter change results in controlled exotherm during curing that remains below 150°C, preventing damage to thermoplastic macrospheres while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If polyurethane resin is used in syntactic foam, then viscosity and exotherm are improved, but strength and stiffness are reduced allowing microspheres to implode

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveviscosityVSAvoidstiffness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the resin system by using DCPD (dicyclopentadiene) instead of polyurethane resin. This parameter change provides the optimal balance: low enough viscosity for easy handling with high filler content, controlled exotherm, and sufficient cured strength and stiffness to reinforce and protect the microspheres from imploding under pressure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If higher grade microspheres are used to prevent implosion, then reliability is improved, but density increases reducing buoyancy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrosphere integrityVSAvoiddensity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of resin stiffness by using DCPD-based syntactic foam with high filler content (50-70% by volume). This creates a stiffer matrix that reinforces lower-density microspheres, allowing them to withstand subsea pressures without imploding, thus maintaining buoyancy while ensuring reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

5Quantity of substance

If more filler content is added to increase buoyancy, then quantity of filler is improved, but viscosity increases making the material unworkable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiller contentVSAvoidviscosity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the resin system by using DCPD (dicyclopentadiene) instead of epoxy or polyurethane resin. This parameter change allows the formulation to accommodate high filler content (50-70% by volume) while maintaining workable viscosity during mixing and dispensing, enabling high buoyancy without compromising manufacturability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a high-stiffness buoyancy component that can utilize lighter microspheres, withstand deep subsea pressures without damage, and offers cost and handling advantages by using thermoplastic macrospheres safely during curing, enabling buoyancy at depths of at least 2000 meters.

Implementation Method 1

providing a composition including DCPD (dicyclo pentadiene) resin, a ruthenium or osmium catalyst, and allowing the mixture to set in the mould

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

provide buoyancy to offset the weight of the products in water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentEP3362506B1Buoyancy component including dicyclopentadiene resin

Publication Date: 2022.01.05 ADVANCED INSULATION LTD

AI summary

A method of forming a buoyancy providing component, the method comprising locating a plurality of macrospheres in a mould, providing a composition including DCPD (dicyclo pentadiene) resin, a ruthenium or osmium catalyst, and a plurality of microspheres, dispensing the composition in liquid form into the mould to encapsulate the macrospheres, and allowing the mixture to set in the mould.