Product of the Week - COMPAXX™ Foam Core System for Wind Blades

Dow Formulated Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, today announced the introduction of the COMPAXX™ 700 foam core system for wind blades, the first in a line of new core materials that will help manufacturers extend blade life through the creation of high performance sandwich composites.

Extensive sandwich panel fatigue testing following the latest Germanische Lloyd requirements showed COMPAXX™ 700 exhibits long-term dynamic behavior and shear strength properties yielding lightweight composites with excellent mechanical strength and fatigue resistance. These properties, coupled with peel strength about three times higher than the historical reference of core material PVC 60 kg/m3, create the intimate core-to-skin bond necessary to achieve blade durability.

In addition, COMPAXX™ 700 offers a high run-to-run consistency leading to predictable mechanical properties that structural engineers can use to create more precise blades.

Jean Luc Guillaume, Global Business Leader for Wind Energy Systems for Dow Formulated Systems, noted that “the COMPAXX™ 700 foam core, AIRSTONE™ epoxy systems, and our ongoing innovations and capital investments reflect Dow’s strong commitment to meeting the needs of the global wind power market with industry leading technology, reliable product supply, and consistent high quality.”

The new COMPAXX™ system is now available globally in commercial volumes.

About Dow Formulated Systems:
Dow Formulated Systems, a global business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) is a global industry leader in the development and formulation of fully-formulated polyurethane and epoxy systems, focused on providing its customers worldwide with innovative tailor-made solutions through its Energy Efficiency, Alternative Energy & Composites, Infrastructure Life Preservation, Leisure & Lifestyle and Industrial Castings and Adhesives businesses. Dow Formulated Systems manufactures and markets custom formulated rigid and semi-rigid, flexible, integral skin, and microcellular polyurethane foams and fully-formulated systems as well as coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and binders used in applications ranging from residential and commercial construction, infrastructure repair, wind energy solutions, oil and gas, automotive, appliance, furniture, and shoe soles to decorative molding and athletic equipment. Striving to meet the specific needs of its customers in their local geographic regions, Dow Formulated Systems operates a global network of 30 system houses.