Lightweight Strong Materials In A Composite Surfboard

Lightweight Strong Materials In A Composite Surfboard The composite surfboard is a common place in the sport today. Ever since the introduction of fiberglass composites after World War II, the surfboard industry was truly one of the first to embrace composites. Prior to fiber reinforced composites, surfboards were manufactured out of wood and could weigh over 100 lbs. Today, a composite surfboard the same size (10 feet) might weigh less then 10 lbs. To shed this enormous amount of weight, surfboards took advantage of 3 key materials: Foam Core Polyurethane foam became the core material of choice for surfboards. It is lightweight, provides thickness, and provides buoyancy. The foam core of a composite surfboard is sandwiched between FRP skins and creates the stiffness and structure of the surfboard. Often, a stringer of wood is bonded in the center of the board to provide increased rigidity, much like an I-beam. The surfboard foam industry was dominated by the company Clark Foam up until 2005, at which time the owner decided to shut down with no prior warning. Today, the foam core for composite surfboards is primarily polyurethane foam. However, expanded polystyrene (EPS) is being used more often as the use of epoxy resins increases. Regardless of the foam used it almost always closed-cell, so that it does not absorb moisture. Resin Thermosetting resins have been key to the success of the composite surfboard. Even when boards were made of wood, resins and coatings were used to help prevent the boards soaking in water. As resin technology continues to improve, boards are able to become stronger and lighter weight. The most common resins used in composite surfboards are polyester resins. This is primarily because polyester resin is inexpensive. Additionally, resin manufacturers have perfected their polyester surfboard resins so that they are easy to work with and are crystal clear. It is important that the resins used are water-clear, because a surfboard is as much a work of art as it is a functional piece of equipment. As surfboards age, they turn yellow from the UV rays. Hence, UV resistance is an important factor to the resins used today. With the advancements in resin technology, it is no surprise composite surfboards are being manufactured with epoxy. Epoxy has no VOC emissions during the manufacturing process, and it has much higher strength, fatigue, and impact resistance properties. However, the only current downside to using epoxy is, these boards tend to turn yellow faster then polyester boards. Although, this may soon change with improved formulations. Fiberglass Fiberglass is the structural backbone to surfboards. The fiberglass reinforcement provides the structure and strength to the board. Most commonly, lightweight woven fiberglass cloth is used as the reinforcement. Usually, it is between 4 and 8 ounce fabric. (Ounces per square yard). Often more then one layer is used. Currently, the weaves used are evenly balanced with equal amounts of fiberglass running from nose to tail, and rail to rail. However, engineers are designing boards with different amounts of fiber running in different directions. This provides the strength and the rigidity where required, without adding much additional weight. Future Of The Composite Surfboard Surfers are known for being progressive, and with this comes experimentation with different shapes and materials. Boards today are embracing composite technology and new materials. The composite surfboards of the future are incorporating fibers such as Kevlar, carbon fiber, and Innegra. The various properties of the many composite reinforcements available can allow the surfer or engineer, to tweak the properties to help create the dream board. It also makes a surfboard extremely cool looking to have unique materials and construction. The various properties of the many composite reinforcements available can allow the surfer or engineer, to tweak the properties to help create the ultimate surfboard. It also makes a surfboard extremely cool looking to have unique materials and construction. Not only are the materials being used changing, but the method of manufacturing is evolving as well. CNC machines are commonly being used to precisely machine out the foam core. This creates boards that are almost perfectly symmetrical and exact. At first, the fear of mass production brought concerns of removing the soul from the sport. Meaning, the traditional method of hand shaping boards is being reduced to the job of a computer. However, the opposite seems to be true. Custom boards, which are truly works of art, seem to be as popular as ever. And with composites, creativity in methods and materials to laminate boards seems to give an endless opportunity to customize and personalize boards. The future of the composite surfboard is bright. In the 1950s the use of fiberglass was revolutionary. The new pioneers will continue to push the envelope and will embrace the next generation of composite materials and processing techniques.

The Facts About Dry Ice

The Facts About Dry Ice Dry ice is the solid form of solid carbon dioxide, CO2. Here are some facts about dry ice that can help keep you safe when working with it- and are just fun to know. Dry Ice Facts Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide. It is sometimes called cardice.Dry ice is extremely cold (-109.3 °F or -78.5 °C). At this temperature, it sublimates from the solid state into the gaseous state or undergoes deposition from gas to solid. In order for dry ice to form liquid carbon dioxide, it needs to be placed in a high-pressure environment.The first published observation of dry ice was in 1835 by French chemist Charles Thilorier. He noted the formation of dry ice when a container of liquid carbon dioxide was opened.Dry ice resembles snow or water ice.  Its usually sold as chunks or pellets, which appear white because water vapor from the air readily freezes onto the surface. While it looks somewhat like ordinary water ice, its called dry because theres no intermediate liquid phase.Dry ice density usually ranges between 1.2 and 1.6 kg/dm3.The molecular weight of dry ice is 44.01 g/mole.Dry ice is nonpolar, with a dipole moment of zero. It has low thermal and electrical conductiv ity. The specific gravity of dry ice is 1.56 (water 1). Dry ice sinks in water and to the bottom of drinks.The white vapor released when dry ice sublimates does contain carbon dioxide, but its mostly water fog produced when the cool gas condenses water from the air.When dry ice is added to food, as when making ice cream or freezing fruit, the carbon dioxide carbonates the liquid and can react with water to form dilute carbonic acid. This adds an acidic or sour flavor.When dry ice sublimates, some of the carbon dioxide gas immediately mixes with air, but some of the cold dense gas sinks. Carbon dioxide concentrations increase near the floor of a room where a lot of dry ice is being used. Dry Ice Safety Contact with dry ice can result in frostbite and cold burns. Avoid allowing contact between dry ice and the skin, eyes, or mouth.Use insulated gloves when handling dry ice.Although dry ice and carbon dioxide are not toxic, the use of dry ice may present a respiratory hazard because it can sink and displace air near the ground. Also, when it mixes with the air, there is more carbon dioxide (less oxygen) in each breath. Use dry ice in a well-ventilated area.Do not eat or swallow dry ice.Do not seal dry ice in glass or other closed containers, since the pressure buildup may result in breakage or bursting.

The Chinese economy has maintained a momentum of rapid growth while Essay

The Chinese economy has maintained a momentum of rapid growth while many other economies in the world have slumped - Essay Example As a result, the barriers to economic growth under the conventional planned economy were removed and full production became the order of the day. As part of the economic reforms, the country adopted a step-by-step approach in pushing the reforms ahead. At the same time, it made sure that there as a balance between the economic reforms, growth and social stability. This enabled the country to correct the notion that China is a hard place to trade as is evidenced by the large capital investment by overseas investors. According to Sharma (2007), there has been a major capital injection into the country’s economy, which been a major boost in the development of the economy. The country has also recognized the importance of a flexible monetary exchange rate. It has put measures in place to ensure that there is free capital mobility (Prasad, 2004). Economic experts have argued that the high economic growth rate registered by China will only be sustained if the country continues imple menting the comprehensive economic reforms, and the open up policies. ... This has been enabled by the ongoing reforms in the banking sector. Financial transactions and mediations in China are transacted across the banking sector. The banking industry is heavily dominated by the state-owned banks who act as the main lender to companies in China. There is an absence of the corporate bond market which underscores the crucial role that banks play in the economy of China (Li, 1997). China has instituted a reduction in interest rates to encourage more borrowing especially by people in the private sector, particularly the small and medium enterprises. Therefore, stability of the banking industry in China is crucial for sustainability of economic growth in the country (Li, Liu and Yun, n.d.). Currently, the Chinese government has accelerated efforts to address three key issues; maintaining the economic growth, avoiding social contradictions and improving the ability to cope with financial crisis. Lams have been put in place to stimulate domestic demand with an ai m of reducing the over reliance on Gross Domestic Product growth in fixed investment and export promotion. China relies more on the export market which is detrimental in the midst of a global financial crisis like the one being experienced in the world (Wang, 2010). To address this issue of export-oriented economy, the Chinese government has made it a national strategy to strike a reasonable balance between the export oriented models and inward- looking economy. This is being implemented through expansion programs in the global market, while laying down policies to promote domestic consumptions. The Chinese government is on record for trying to uplift the purchasing power of its large

Eco Bus 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Eco Bus 2 - Essay Example Income elasticity is a measurement of the rate over time of a change in quantity demanded because of a positive or negative change consumer income. As consumer income rises, if a good decreases in demand, it is an â€Å"inferior good†; if demand for a good rises proportionally to increases in consumer income, it is a â€Å"normal good.† 1. The elasticity of demand coefficient expresses how sensitive consumers are to changes in price. To avoid ambiguity, the coefficient of the elasticity of demand is expressed in an absolute value. While a zero quantity expresses perfect inelasticity (that is, quantity demanded is unaffected by changes in price), any value in between zero and one will represent relative inelasticity. A value that is greater than one will represent a relatively elastic demand, up until a value of infinity, which represents a perfectly elastic demand (that is, quantity demanded is infinitely changed by changes in price. An elasticity coefficient equal to negative one indicates unit-elastic demand, which is a situation that occurs when the percentage change in quantity demanded is equal to the percentage change in price. 2. The cross-price elasticity coefficient expresses how sensitive demand is to a price change of other related goods. Elasticity coefficients above zero indicate that there is a high inverse correlation between the prices of Good A and Good B, which means that the goods are substitutes. In contrast, coefficients below zero indicate direct correlations between the prices, which means those goods are complements. Small absolute values of the cross-price elasticity coefficient indicate that there is little or no relation between the prices. 3. The income elasticity coefficient expresses how sensitive demand for a good is to income change. Income elasticity coefficients below zero indicate that there is a strong direct correlation between income increasing (or decreasing) and demand for a good

Fallacious Statements Essay Example for Free

Fallacious Statements Essay In fairy tales we often read how the Princess is rescued by her knight in shining armor. The knight comes racing in to save her from anything that can harm her and take her away to live happily ever after. It sounds like the perfect ending to a love story. Is it right? In Princess’s Di story that was not what happened. It seemed she was in trouble, but her knight in shining armor must have been out of town. There were many speculations about what happened on the night Princess Di was killed. It would appear that during that night out the Princess was chased by the ever famous paparazzi and the driver lost control of the car and crashed. This crash killed Di and her companion. Is this the end of the story? Not according to the website dedicated to trying to uncover the conspiracy plot against Di. Was the crash really an accident, or was it a planned assassination of the Princess. Many people suppose that she was murdered. The question that comes to mind is why anyone would want princess assassinated. Some say it was because of her alleged relationship with Dodi Fayed. His father has launched a campaign to discover what really happened that night. Other speculations have been mentioned such as the rumor that she was pregnant with Dodis child and that would crush the royal family. One glance at the site of www. dianamurder. com would make any reasonable person begin to question the validity of the crash theory. This site informs the reader that on April 7th ,2008 coroner’s jury ruled Princess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed were unlawfully killed through the reckless actions of their driver and the paparazzi in 1997`. Should this make the questions stop? It seems that many people continue to question the truth of how Princess Di was killed. Many questions have been left unanswered and they should be answered before the Princess can really be rest in peace.. To conclude I would like to submit few questions others have posed to make you begin wonder. According to www. dianamurder. com some questions left unanswered are: why were the photographers chasing her on motorcycles, if the driver was experienced? Why did the motorcycles over take a Mercedes? The one that really made me think was: why was the driver allowed to drive her if he was really drunk? If these questions have left you wondering then you are like many other people, who want to know the rest of the story. References: The murder of Princess Diana. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 09, 2009 from http://www. dianamurder. com/ENG 2001 aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" WEEK 3 Peer Critique Evaluation Checklist (4 being the best) 1. Paper evidences clear understanding and 4 3 2 1appropriate use of Avoiding Fallacious Statements or Using Argument by Authority 2. Paper provides a clear position statement in an 4 3 2 1 Introduction that arouses reader’s interest 3. Paper provides a clear focus throughout 4 3 2 1 4. Reasons for position clearly stated and backed by 4 3 2 1 relevant evidence in the form of examples, quotes, etc. There are little quotesin the paper, the evidence is not very clear, those are mostly questions and assumptions that support the author’s position 5. Paper is written from an appropriate perspective 4 3 2 1 6. Ideas in paper are ordered logically with appropriate 4 3 2 1 connections within and between paragraphs The order of paragraphs is broken.

David Livingstone Essay -- essays research papers

David Livingstone was one of the most revered and respected African explorers of his time. He spent almost 30 years exploring a region little known to the outside world. He often put ambition before family and his own personal health in his quest to open the interior of Africa to “Civilization, Christianity, and Commerce.';(Hollett 236) Through his daring explorations into the unknown, he discovered and documented many new landmarks inside the dark continent, and at times became obsessed with his determination to find a single source of the Nile. He had a major impact on later expeditions into central Africa. .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Livingstone was born to a poor Scottish family in 1813. Starting at age ten, Livingstone worked in a cotton mill while pursuing his studies at night. He was an avid reader, and would often stay up until twelve or later, buried in a book. Livingstone enjoyed reading on a variety of subjects, but read mostly scientific works and explorer’s journals. As a boy, David made few friends. Others described him as quiet, sulky, and unremarkable. Yet despite this, David was a tireless worker, and extremely motivated toward his goals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By age 17, Livingstone had decided he wanted to leave the mill and become a doctor. Livingstone’s father, a deeply religious man, wanted him to go into a religious field, and would not allow him to go. Livingstone eventually convinced his father to let him go to school and become a missionary in China. After finishing school, Livingstone had planned to go to China to perform his missionary duties, but because of the Opium War, Livingstone’s plans were altered. He continued his studies, and became a respected member of the medical community. Soon though, he offered his services to the London Missionary Society, and was assigned to a mission in Africa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Early knowledge and exploration of Africa was confined to desert and coastal regions. The interior humid regions held many difficulties for prospective explorers. This included climate, vegetation, and hostile peoples and creatures. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, most of Africa was unexplored, and unmapped. The British were the first Europeans to make a serious attempt at exploration of the interior of Africa. Earlier European contacts were rel... ...lf that the Lualaba River was the source of the Nile, it was not confirmed until after Livingstone’s death that Lake Victoria and the Mountains of the Moon were the actual sources of the Nile. Livingstone’s missions began and ended in Africa. His explorations were primarily in the Lake Tanganyika and Lualaba River regions. He enjoyed living with the native peoples, eating their food, sleeping in their huts, and without losing his own identity, he made their life his own. He probably understood the African people; their beliefs, fears and needs better than anyone outside of Africa at that time. He sacrificed personal needs for what he believed was his mission to Africa,and was probably more spiritually content to meet his death there than any place else. David Livingstone’s three works on South and South Central Africa had major impacts on the worlds understanding of, and social and political attitudes and policy towards Africa. Although his books made him one of the most famous and respected explorers, he was not as concerned with fame and riches as much as having the backing and resources to pursue his objectives in the then dark continent of Africa.

How does reflect through history, invention, society and the Arts? Essay

The unifying theme of this period is colonialism and emerging trends. This was the time where Napoleon Bonaparte gained so much power and recognition throughout the world whereas he was feared by men. In relation to invention, there were new great inventors like Alesssandro Volta for the battery, Jacquard Loom for calculator/computer, and Oliver Evans for the refrigerator. During this era, artists like Ludwig van Beethoven, Theodore Gericault, Alans Wordsworth and Jane Austen became famous. Their works are still known until today. A neoclassical architectural style also existed in this period. The Cathedral of Vilnius, conceptualized and put into existence by Laurynas Gucevicius, is an example. Neoclassical Architecture has some features that are the same with the Late Baroque architecture. However, its emphasis is its planar qualities, rather than sculptural volumes. Projections and recessions and their effects of light and shade are flatter; sculptural bas-reliefs are flatter and tend to be enframed in friezes, tablets or panels. Its clearly articulated individual features are isolated rather than interpenetrating, autonomous and complete in themselves. International neoclassical architecture was exemplified in Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s buildings, especially the Old Museum in Berlin, Sir John Soane’s Bank of England in London and the newly built White House and Capitol in Washington, DC in the United States. The Scots architect Charles Cameron created palatial Italianate interiors for the German-born Catherine II the Great in St. Petersburg. 2. In the early 1800’s, Australia was still a young colony. Who were the major Australian artistic figures of this period? (You might mention architects, writer, painters or musicians and their works. ) One of the major artistic figures in Australia during 1800s who gained recognition in this era was Norman Lindsay. He was the principal cartoonist of the Bulletin magazine. He was also one of the people who advocated their right to paint the nude. He also wrote novels but his major work consisted of pen drawings, etchings, watercolours and oil paintings, all of which are well represented at ‘Springwood’ (the Norman Lindsay Gallery & Museum). He also illustrated the cover for the seminal Henry Lawson book, â€Å"While the Billy Boils†. In the field of writing or literature, Henry Lawson was one of the major writers and poets during this period. Many believe he was the first poet to capture the Australian way of life. His works are still known and an inspiration to Australians. In architecture, Francis Howard Greenway was one of the major artistic figures. His work includes Hyde Park Barracks (1817-19), St Luke’s, Liverpool (1817-24), St James’s, Sydney (1819-22), St Matthew’s, Windsor (1819-22) and other extant buildings are now popularly appreciated as the foundations of Australian architecture. His picturesque Gothic buildings, on the other hand, are mostly long demolished and his ‘Turnpike Gate at Sydney with Gothic Lodge and Offices’ (1819-20), his designs for Sydney’s Anglican and Catholic cathedrals (the former never built, the latter much modified before its erection), even his (extant) Government House stables, have played little part in the creation of the Greenway architectural persona. References http://www. abc. net. au/schoolstv/australians/lawson. htm http://normanlindsay. com. au/normanlindsay/aboutnormanlindsay. php http://daao. org. au/main/read/2926 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Neoclassical_architecture#Characteristics