Multi-purpose polymer applies heat to the market

A polymer made by one company is warming the places other materials cannot reach. UK company Inditherm has developed a material of the same name that looks like a clothing textile but which conducts low-voltage electricity to provide an evenly heated surface for virtually any purpose - from sports physiotherapy to warming up steering wheels to heated football pitches.

Unlike heating solutions that are prone to hot and cold spots, Inditherm's flexible carbon-based polymer conducts electricity, in the range of 6 to 48 volts, to provide a consistently heated surface that can be controlled and monitored up to 120 ï‚° C in ambient conditions as low as -40 ï‚° C.

Temperatures can be controlled by simple bimetallic cut-outs, variable control or making a self-regulating Inditherm pad, and the heat can be varied according to the area covered, the density of the product, the current and the configuration of the conductors.

Starting in 1993 with the need to provide an evenly heated jacket for Grand Prix motorcycle tyres in the pits, the material has now evolved to provide low-power, environmentally friendly heating solutions in a multitude of industrial, medical, automotive, construction, sports, clothing and other applications.

Being flexible, Inditherm can be cut to fit for any purpose and wrapped around even the most difficult shapes in a range of suitable paddings. The material's low resistance and high heat output are energy efficient and there are no size constraints.

After its initial use to warm tyres, Inditherm's founders soon went on to exploit its potential in a range of other applications. Among the first were the medical and industrial sectors.

One of the earliest successes was the Inditherm heated operating table which helps prevent patient hypothermia during surgery, while providing hospitals with significant cost savings over the alternative of blankets and blowing warm air.

Turning to the sports physiotherapy market, the company developed Speedheat as a new method for applying heat to injuries after the acute stage. Designed as a modular system consisting of a control panel and a series of heated pads, Speedheat delivers uniform heat to where it is needed. The control system can manage the temperature of one to three heated pads, giving the physiotherapist complete control over the operating parameters.

From the outset, the demand from the industrial market was steep, particularly in process engineering, where Inditherm delivers significant efficiencies and cost savings over existing hot water and trace heating systems by designing customised removable heated jackets for the pipes and storage containers within any size of installation.

A rapidly growing sector, the company's client list already has blue-chip names including Birdseye Walls, BP Chemicals, British Steel, Cadbury, Ford, McVitie, Nestle, Tate & Lyle and Weetabix.

As the take up of the polymer accelerated, so did the flow of ideas for its innovative application. Constantly exploring new markets for its technology, the company already provides a range of battery-powered heated clothing for work or sports in extreme conditions, a heated steering wheel for a luxury car and an insulated system for take-away food delivery.

Perhaps the biggest and most exciting advances have come in the construction industry and sports facilities. Two years ago, the company formed Inditherm Construction Products, following its pioneering work with the Centre For Infrastructure Development at Sheffield Hallam University, one of the UK's leading construction research facilities.

Originally intended to investigate the possibility of using Inditherm in controlled concrete curing, the company's work soon extended to the concept of heated concrete, encapsulating the material within concrete panels to be used as a heat source to replace traditional hot water heating systems.

Early projects identified to benefit from heated concrete are hospitals, immigration centres and prisons and for frost protection in structures such as access ramps, pavements and multi-storey car parks.

And it's not only concrete that could benefit. Encapsulating the technology within bridge decks for frost protection can eliminate the use of de-icing salts on bridges, a main cause of corrosion of reinforced steel. In the United States, it has been estimated that there are 100,000 bridges that are structurally deficient as a result of using de-icing salts. And the problem is global.

Returning to its sporting roots, the company signed its first deal to provide undersoil heating for a soccer pitch at the Falkirk community stadium in Scotland. It is also in talks with several UK football clubs and other venues to install Inditherm as subsoil heating to prevent the costly loss of sports fixtures because of frozen surfaces.

In future, an 'Inditherm-ed' stadium could have year-round frost-free access and playing surfaces. Spectators may also be willing to pay a premium to sit in an Inditherm-warmed seat. And buy their program from a steward wearing an Inditherm-warmed jacket.