Kacper Duda

Chem-Craft > Articles by: Kacper Duda
Composite medical device with glowing elements, in a lab with researchers and a 3D printer.

Composite Components in Prosthetics and Medical Devices – Challenges, Regulations, and Future Materials

The medical device industry does not move quickly. It moves carefully. A material that proves itself in aerospace within a five-year qualification cycle might spend a decade reaching clinical approval for a load-bearing prosthetic component. The reasons are obvious –…

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Cutaway view of a yacht's superstructure with composite foam, showing a luxury yacht.

New Material Requirements for Yachts and Superstructures – When Composite Foam Outperforms Traditional Cores

Yacht construction has always attracted materials that promise more with less. Carbon fibre replaced glass in racing hulls. Nomex honeycomb replaced plywood in deck panels. Vacuum infusion replaced hand lay-up in production yards. Each transition followed the same pattern: resistance…

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Detailed cross-section of a ship's hull made with composite foam, with ships in the background.

Composite Foams in Hull and Superstructure Construction – Durability, Fuel Efficiency, and Performance for Commercial and Military Ships

A ship is, at its core, a compromise between strength and displacement. Every kilogram of structural material above the waterline raises the centre of gravity. Every kilogram below it increases draft and wetted surface area. Naval architects have spent centuries…

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Cutaway of a rail panel showing foam core, with a train and scientists in a lab.

Floor and Ceiling Panels in the Rail Industry – Analysis of R&D Benefits

Rail transport occupies an unusual position in the materials conversation. Unlike aerospace, where every gram is tracked with near-obsessive precision, the rail sector has historically been more tolerant of mass. Steel and aluminium have dominated carriage construction for over a…

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Cross-section of a composite foam core structure with an airplane in the background.

Lightweight Versus Strength: How Core Foams Are Transforming Structural Component Design in Aerospace & Aviation

The aerospace industry has never been comfortable with compromise. Every gram added to an airframe eats into fuel economy, payload capacity, and operational range – yet every gram removed must not come at the cost of structural integrity. For decades,…

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Cutaway view of a drone wing showing an internal foam core.

Applications of ROHACELL® in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV/Drones) – How Foams Improve Range and Flight Stability

PMI foam cores are finding a natural home in drone manufacturing — where thin sandwich panels, dual-usage capability, and zero tolerance for excess weight define the engineering brief. Why Core Material Choices Matter More in Drones Than Anywhere Else In…

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foam-core-evolution

The Evolution of Foam Technology: From Traditional Options to ROHACELL®

Structural foam cores have gone through decades of incremental progress. PMI chemistry changed the trajectory entirely — here’s what happened and why it matters for modern composites. Where It All Started: PVC and PET Foams For a long time, sandwich…

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Two hands in gloves apply liquid with syringes to a white ROHACRYL® foam block and a grey PVC foam block, illustrating a performance analysis of liquid absorption and thermal resistance.

ROHACRYL® and PVC Foams: A Performance Analysis

For decades, the composite industry relied heavily on Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) foams as the standard core material for sandwich constructions. From wind turbine blades to boat hulls, PVC was the go-to solution due to its relatively low cost and decent…

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A hand in a lab holds a sandwich composite structure made with carbon fiber and a white ROHACELL® core, with technical drawings and lab equipment in the background.

Advanced Composites: ROHACELL® in Comparison with Carbon Fiber Materials

In the high-performance world of advanced composites, carbon fiber is often hailed as the “king of materials.” Its ability to provide immense tensile strength while remaining incredibly light has revolutionized industries from Formula 1 racing to commercial aviation. However, a…

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A white block of ROHACELL® foam and a yellow, porous polyurethane foam block are shown side-by-side, with blue liquid being absorbed differently into each, demonstrating a comparative study.

ROHACELL® vs. Traditional Polyurethane Foams: A Comparative Study

In the landscape of composite material engineering, the selection of a core material is often a trade-off between cost, weight, and performance. For decades, Polyurethane (PU) foams have been the “workhorse” of the industry due to their low cost and…

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