Aeris fabrics, manufactured by Aluula Composites based in Victoria, British Columbia, combine the unmatched strength-to-weight ratio of the Aluula woven core with the toughest and strongest ultralight films available. This fusion results in a class of materials offering enhanced strength and tear and abrasion resistance.

The company’s latest introduction is Aluula Aeris X, which introduces a proprietary X weave to the composition that adds additional reinforcement on the bias, leading to six times higher bias strength, exceptional durability, superior UV resistance and six times the tear resistance when compared to competing canopy and sail fabrics.

Aluula Aeris X is already being employed as the material for the wing and canopy of the Glide AA wingfoil produced by Ocean Rodeo, based in Vancouver Island in Canada.

In this product, an 86gsm Aeris X composite delivers stiffness to the centre of the leading edge and strut tube, while 74gsm Aeris provides the desired wing tip reflex. A light, stiff and durable 46gsm Aeris X canopy extends the upper and lower wind range of each size, while taking canopy tear resistance to a new level.

The combination of these materials results in a wing that is exceptionally stable, lightweight and user-friendly.

The Aluula Aeris and Aeris X single polymer materials used for the airframe and canopy in the Glide AA-Series are recyclable at the end of their useful life.

Aluula Composites is already working on a recycling programme for its UHMWPE based off-cuts and end-of-life products with the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Traditionally, composite materials are made by gluing together different core layers and outer films to create fabrics for use in a wide range of product applications. Using its patented fusion process, Aluula has developed an alternative way to fuse high-tech fibres and technical films together without the use of glues. The process is not only creating extremely light, strong, and durable fabrics, but materials that are recycle ready.

An initial project with the Composites Research Network at UBC Vancouver established the ability to compress Aluula material off-cuts and end-of-life products into uniform, lightweight and ultra-durable panels. Throughout the recycling process, the specialised UHMWPE fibres of the original Aluula materials are kept intact. This results in fibre reinforced composite panels that are ten times stronger than those moulded from virgin UHMWPE. From backpack back panels to low friction wear plates, the applications for these panels are suited to many tasks where strength, weight, abrasion resistance and low friction are desirable.

www.aluula.com

www.oceanrodeo.com