TEHRAN, Dec. 06 (MNA) – Iranian researchers have produced nanocomposites through prepreg method to be used in repairing oil and gas pipelines.

Annually, high number of oil and gas pipelines in the country are in need of repair and maintenance which necessitates the use of various efficient methods. Given the country’s many active projects in oil, gas and petrochemical fields, the maintenance of oil and gas pipelines has become one of the main concerns of the oil industry.

However, the conventional and mechanical method such as replacing or welding pipelines have many problems of its own including high costs and difficult and complex operations for installing the pipes which sometimes come with life hazards.

As a result, researchers have designed a formulation and developed a machine to produce composite walls by using nanotechnology and prepreg method. In the study, moisture-cure polyurethane resin was used which contained clay and silica nanoparticles.

One of the properties of moisture-cure polyurethane resins is their short curing time which makes it possible for them to be completely cured and turned into hard, solid composite before being installed around the pipes.

The advantages of this project include the integration of two nanocomposite coating processes one in the factory and one at the repair place, the adequate flexibility of curing method, ease of use and precise control of properties.

This method can be used in oil, gas, petrochemical and military (air and navy) industries.

By Mehr News Agency