Carbon epoxy engine casing patented and working ! So fiberglass or WEST?

[MustafaUmutSarac]

I think 30-35 years ago , someone at usa proved that carbon epoxy engine casing was lightweight and strong , heat resistant and works. He made many nascar like race engines and they completed the race without malfunction.

Thats good but carbon is ultra expensive here and the epoxy. And only epoxy I could find is marine epoxy for boat building. And very expensive.

Now I can do cheaper three things,

First , mixing glass fibers with cheaper grade yellowish and gas pocket filled epoxy.

Second , using transparent epoxy - pool making stuff - and glass fiber composite.

Third , making wood cylinders and wooden internals impregnated with west , wood epoxy saturation system.

Today , one friend told me here that at soviet poland , they were using wooden cylinders at motorcycles and my friend told me that they were using the same at Turkey.

I am thinking gasoline or diesel 5 HP engine for motorcycle engine and boat engine. I dont know which is more suitable ?

What do you think about all ?

umut

 

[majorm]

That's interesting and the first I've heard of it. I could see making the cylinders from wrapping carbon around a rod and using vacuum bagging. Then using more carbon fiber to tie the cylinders together like a normal block. Another option would be to make a block from carbon fiber and use cylinder liners.

I think most high performance carbon fiber is cured in an oven but then again I don't know much about it.

Edited to add: I was just rereading your post and think you don't want to use carbon fiber. I think your going to have the most trouble with heat. Most high temp epoxys are oven cured so that may or may not be an issue for you. I doubt your going to find much that can stand up to the temps of an engine with "normal" epoxy. From what little I do know you want the glass or carbon to be wet out just enough. Extra epoxy just makes it heavier and weaker. That's where vacuum bagging comes in to help.

 

[micrometer50]

I think their was an artical in popular science. The company might have been called polymotor.

 

[Anatol]

I've done quit a lot of work with epoxy (boatbuilding). I am now experimenting with epoxy based composite materials for machine components. My first reaction is - don't confuse carbon (graphite) with 'carbon fiber'. Very different things.

As majorm notes, epoxy impregnated carbon fiber requires high tech controlled baking and possibly UV curing.

Graphite, as we know, is a dry lubricant. So loading epoxy with graphite should produce a very smooth material. But Epoxy itself is brittle, so you need to add strengthening. I use milled glass fiber - you could use milled kevlar, carbon fiber or even cotton. Maybe even human hair. I *think* this might produce a corrosion resistant, self lubricating, thermally stable material, maybe for pistons and cylinders. I've cast some blocks with graphite, glass and both, and will do some machining and strength tests.

I can see using wood, but only very hard wood like ebony. Lignum Vitae was used as bearings for steam ship prop shafts because it was hard and oily, so self lubricating and resistant to sea water.

I would not trust impregnating wood with epoxy, at best you get a thin surface impregnation.
FWIW

 

[MustafaUmutSarac]

My goal would be lower the costs , skip the expensive technology.

I know carbon fiber is a good material but it cant compete with chinese engine prices.

I am thinking epoxy , glass fiber and carbon fiber powder i kilograms of carbon fiber powder is ultra cheap.

I think I can order a polystyrene foam block cnc cut and mold it with above material nett net shape.

I am trying to survive from lathes , cncs , long cutting times etc.

There would be stainless steel tube cut cylinder liners and stainless steel tube cut cylinders.

I am trying to find most abundant and never will be expensive materialşs.

I am thinking to use net dimensions , for examople internationakl standards for tubing etc..

What do you think ?