Materials for Wind Turbine Blades: An Overview

A short overview of composite materials for wind turbine applications is presented here. Requirements toward the wind turbine materials, loads, as well as available materials are reviewed. Apart from the traditional composites for wind turbine blades (glass fibers/epoxy matrix composites), natural composites, hybrid and nanoengineered composites are discussed. Manufacturing technologies for wind turbine composites, as well their testing and modelling approaches are reviewed

Synthesis of β‑Cyclodextrin Diazonium Salts and Electrochemical Immobilization onto Glassy Carbon and Gold Surfaces

This study shows that diazotized β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) can be produced, isolated, and immobilized onto glassy carbon and gold surfaces. 4-(1,2,3-Triazol-4-yl)­benzenediazonium-β-CD tetrafluoroborate (pDz-β-CD) and 3-(1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)­benzenediazonium-β-CD tetrafluoroborate (mDz-β-CD) were successfully prepared by Cu^(I)-catalyzed azide alkyne coupling (CuAAC) of 6-monodeoxy-6-monoazido-β-cyclodextrin (N₃-β-CD) and 4-ethynylaniline and 3-ethynylaniline, respectively, followed by diazotization. The products were isolated and stored successfully for several months at −18 °C. The intermediates and products were verified by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, and Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence.pDz-β-CD and mDz-β-CD were immobilized onto glassy carbon and gold surfaces facilitated by electrochemical reduction of the diazonium group. The thus generated aryl radical reacted with the surface. The modified gold surfaces were investigated by Polarization Modulation Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry employing the redox probe K₃Fe­(CN)₆ to analyze the extent of blocking of the surfaces. Finally, the availability of the cavity of surface-immobilized β-CD was shown by complexation of ferrocene followed by cyclic voltametric analysis