Zentek, a graphene technology development and commercialization company announce a collaboration with Pattern Energy Group to optimize, test and validate Zentek’s icephobic coating for the wind turbine industry.
The partnership is being supported financially by both the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and PRIMA Quebec - Advanced Materials Moving Forward.
Exhibits Low Ice Adhesion Strength
Pattern Energy develops, constructs, owns and operates wind turbines and understands the lost efficiency and potential damage to the wind turbine itself and its surroundings that comes from ice accretion on these structures.
Zentek’s icephobic technology has already:
- Shown that it has a low ice adhesion strength (IAS) between 20 and 40 kPa
- Demonstrated the retention of its low IAS with a kPa between 30 and 45, after accelerated weathering, suggesting durability under real environmental conditions
- Demonstrated its durability based on rain and sand erosion testing that would meet the requirements of wind turbine use
As part of their collaboration, Zentek has agreed to give Pattern Energy a priority position to purchase Zentek’s icephobic coating if demand for the product exceeds supply.
The research will be led by Dr. Gelareh Momem at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and Université du Québec à Rimouski.
Source: Zentek