Japan develops wooden automotive components: such as steel, light weight, 80%

(Original title: Could wood pulp make cars lighter and more efficient?)

Netease Technology News October 1st, according to BBC reports, Japanese researchers are working on the use of wood pulp to create a strong material, this material can replace the car's steel parts within a decade. In addition, they will also develop plastics that can withstand high temperatures to replace the metals in the parts near the engine. These innovations will make the car lighter and more efficient.

Figure 1: This imitation Citroen 2CV is made from fruit trees. Will future cars use wooden components?

Paolo Martino, chief auto parts analyst at IHS Markit, the world’s leading information, analysis and solutions leader, said: “People are eager to reduce the weight of cars as much as possible, especially in cars that are more polluted, such as SUV or pickup. "Reducing the weight of a car means it uses less fuel. The U.S. Department of Energy stated that a 10% reduction in vehicle weight can increase fuel economy by 8%. Martino said that manufacturers also want to reduce the weight of electric cars as much as possible, so that they can go further after a single full charge, and help solve the car owners face the "battery mileage anxiety."

This is where the humble trees can make a difference. After all, wood has been used to build boats, houses and furniture for thousands of years. Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan said that a material made of wood pulp could be as strong as steel, but its weight should be reduced by 80%.

Figure 2: The doors and sides of vintage cars are made of wood. Wood is often used to make automotive parts, but it has never been placed near an engine

Japanese researchers chemically treat wood pulp, which consists of millions of cellulose (CNF), and uses these celluloses to integrate into plastics. They say that mixing cellulose with plastic can create a powerful material that can be used to replace steel parts in automobiles. Professor Hiroyuki Yano, who led the work at Kyoto University, said that this material can be used to make door panels, fenders, and car nets. Researchers are working with the Japanese government, car manufacturers and other manufacturers to develop this material.

Cellulose nanofibers have been widely used in a variety of products, from inks to transparent displays. Although these materials face competition from more commercial lightweight rivals, such as carbon fiber, Professor Yano Kono believes that cellulose-based components may be viable alternatives. However, the consulting company Frost & Sullivan's senior vice president Vivek Vaidya also has some questions to answer.

Figure 3: Wood has been used as a building material for thousands of years

Vandal stated that "non-performance components" (ie, components other than engines, transmissions, and wheels) can be mass-produced using wood materials, but component manufacturers may have difficulty keeping up with the pace of automobile production. He said: "Most parts and components are supplied on demand, so it is undoubtedly difficult to guarantee the timely availability of wood or organic materials."

In Japan, researchers are studying special plastics for automotive parts. Professor Tatsuo Kaneko from the Japan Institute of Advanced Science and Technology is developing plastics made from biomolecules. The researchers said that the new material is also lighter than steel and can withstand temperatures as high as 300 degrees Celsius. Tatsuo Kaneko said: "The plastic parts are not used near the car engines because they cannot withstand high temperatures. But the bioplastics that I produce can withstand higher temperatures."

Figure 4: Japanese researchers say that bioplastics can replace metal parts near the engine

Tatsuo Kaneko is working with Japanese automakers, auto parts and electronics manufacturers, and foreign companies to conduct research. He said that this material is expected to become a steel substitute within five years. The greatest advantage of using it is that it can significantly reduce the weight of the car. Although lighter plastic parts may help reduce vehicle exhaust emissions and increase the mileage of electric vehicles, will they pose other environmental risks?

Professor Tatsuo Kaneko acknowledged that replacing traditional materials such as glass with bioplastics may increase pollution because its waste is not biodegradable. However, he believes that his materials are more environmentally friendly than traditional plastics. He insists that the production of traditional petroleum-based plastics will generate large amounts of carbon dioxide, while bioplastics will be produced by microorganisms and will only produce less waste.

Among car manufacturers, the use of "green" materials is accelerating. Frost & Sullivan's Vanda said that manufacturers are trying to reduce the carbon emissions of cars, and not just exhaust emissions. This move is conducive to strengthening supervision and taking into account consumer needs. Both Britain and France plan to ban diesel and gasoline vehicles by 2040 to reduce pollution and carbon emissions. As the world's largest auto market, China hopes that by 2025, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles will account for at least one-fifth of its car sales.

Figure 5: Lightweight carbon fiber is highly recommended in high-performance sports cars

Vandar said: "It is absolutely sensible to improve the car's environmental quality through the use of more environmentally friendly materials." In order to reduce the weight of the car, BMW focused on the development of carbon fiber, and last month launched a carbon fiber reinforced plastic car. Top M5 sedan. Toyota also uses the same materials in the Prius Prime and Lexus LC 500 models to reduce weight and increase battery life.

For Jaguar, aluminum is the key material. The company said that the weight of this metal is about 1/3 of the same amount of steel. Jaguar said: "Each used 100 kg of aluminum as a chassis, you can make the vehicle's carbon dioxide emissions reduced by 9 grams per kilometer, the car's life expectancy can save 800 liters of fuel before the expiration. "Nankon component manufacturers like Corning are usually Tempered glass is used on windshields and other glass components, while high-tech glass is 1/3 lighter than traditional window glass. (small)