Higher Carbon Fiber Shuts In On Extensive Auto Adoption

by Plastic World General Motors (Detroit) as well as carbon fiber and composites company Teijin Limited (Osaka) in plan to co-develop superior carbon fiber compound technologies for potential high-volume use globally in GM cars, trucks and crossovers.

Moreover, for faster and efficient production of carbon fiber composites, the co-development pact involves use of Teijin's innovative carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) technology. This potentially lets GM to initiate CFRTP components on mainstream vehicles. For Teijin, the deal could lead to expanding its portfolio beyond specialty as well as high-end automotive carbon fiber applications.

GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky said that our relationship with Teijin provides the opportunity to revolutionize the way carbon fiber is used in the automotive industry. More, he added that this technology holds the potential to be an industry game changer and demonstrates GM's long-standing commitment to innovation.

To support the relationship, Teijin will set up the Teijin Composites Application Center, a technical center in the northern part of the United States early next year.

Furthermore, carbon fiber is 10 times stronger than regular-grade steel yet only one-quarter of the weight, carbon fiber composites used as automobile components are anticipated to dramatically diminish vehicle weight. Consumers will profit from lighter weight vehicles with better fuel economy and all the safety benefits that come with vehicles of greater mass.

Teijin's proprietary infiltrate is its aptitude to mass-produce carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic components with cycle times of under a minute. Conformist carbon fiber-reinforced composites use thermosetting resins as well as need a much longer timeframe for molding. This time aspect has limited the use of carbon fiber in high-volume vehicles.

Gradually more, stern worldwide environmental standards as well as fuel economy regulations have exaggerated require decreasing vehicle mass by using lightweight materials in place of high-tension steel or aluminum. The Teijin Group, which has accepted automobiles as a key growth market, accelerate the new technology development during teamwork by the Teijin Composites modernism Center as well as Toho Tenax Co. (Tokyo), where the mass-production technology for carbon fiber reinforced plastic components using thermoplastic resin was successfully developed.

Norio Kamei, senior managing director of Teijin said that Teijin's pioneering CFRTP technology, which promises to comprehend revolutionarily lighter automotive body structures, will play an important role in GM's initiative to bring carbon fiber mechanism into mainstream vehicles. Moreover, we believe our visionary relationship with GM will lead the way in increased usage of green composites in the automotive industry.

Commence of any carbon fiber-intensive vehicle applications ensuing from the relationship will be declared closer to market readiness. The contract does not involve an exchange of equity between the companies.

Plastic World News Desk - India

Created on Dec 13th 2011 04:24. Viewed 268 times.

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