Composite propeller explained

Marine composite propellers are ship propellers made from fiber composites. These composites are made from materials like glass or carbon fibers and infused with a high-strength resin like epoxy or polyimide.

Attributes

Composite propellers can be made using a lay-up process, leading to anisotropic properties. This can create a passive adaptation of self-twisting propeller blades, which are considered more energy-efficient when compared to rigid propeller blades.^[1]

Longevity

Composite materials may be considered an environmentally friendly option for propeller blades in some applications. While the composite blades are more resistant to corrosion and impact damage than many metal-alloy propeller blades, the water saturation and the propeller application decrease the longevity of composite propellers.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Notes and References

1. Liu. Zhanke. Young. Yin L.. 2009-08-01. Utilization of bend–twist coupling for performance enhancement of composite marine propellers. Journal of Fluids and Structures. en. 25. 6. 1102–1116. 10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2009.04.005. 0889-9746.
2. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002199839202601407 Effects of Seawater Immersion on the Impact Resistance of Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites
3. http://www.technicaljournalsonline.com/jers/VOL%20II/JERS%20VOL%20II%20ISSUE%20II%20APRIL%20JUNE%202011/ARTICLE%2019%20JERS%20VOL%20II%20ISSUE%20II%20APRIL-%20JUNE%202011.pdf Dr. S. Selvaraju, S.Ilaiyavel, 2011 APPLICATIONS OF COMPOSITES IN MARINE INDUSTRY
4. Yamatogi. Toshio. Murayama. Hideaki. Uzawa. Kiyoshi. Mishima. Takahiro. Ishihara. Yasuaki. 2011. Study on Composite Material Marine Propellers. Marine Engineering. 46. 3. 330–340. 10.5988/jime.46.330. 135597704. free.