FACOMP · Polymeric nanocomposite profiles for curtain walls

Curtain wall facade is being constituted in one of the most used at the present time due to its facility of construction, lightness and to the great variety of materials and finished textures that are possible to obtain. The curtain walls are constituted by two elements clearly differentiated: • The structural profiles of the curtain wall (the one in charge to support the glass or the coating panels and to join structurally the facade to the building) • And the coating material which is the one that provides the final finished one. Generally this finishing is glass although exists the possibility of using other materials if it’s required to give an opaque finish to the end item. At the present time the materials more used for the structural profiles are aluminium and steel. These materials have a widely extended use although they often present/display problems of supply and recycling. Besides, it’s thermal behaviour is not appropriate since they are materials of great thermal transmission. This project is intended to define a new system and a new nanomaterial to be used in substitution of the steel and aluminium for structural profiles. The system to develop must fulfil the same or better mechanical characteristics than the steel and aluminium, must be lighter, weather resistant and with better thermal and acoustic behaviour. The introduction of a new material will also imply a redesign or an adaptation of characteristics of the rest of materials that compose the curtain wall (joints, silicone adherence, glass, etc). The materials that will be used for the profiles are polymeric nanocomposites reinforced with fibres and nanoparticles. These materials exhibit several advantages comparing with those of the aluminium and steel: Mechanical properties: Lightness, Maintenance, Chemical behaviour, thermal properties, Design flexibility and Fire properties.