Nov 6 2007
Mondragon University in the Basque Country is leading a research project aimed at making the structure of cars lighter, employing new, carbon fibre-based materials. Involved in the project are 17 universities, technological centres and companies from all parts of the Spanish State, and amongst which are the Basque enterprises, Gaiker and FPK.
More and more is being talked about possible solutions to climate change. The need to minimise the consequences of pollution is patent and covers many areas of activity.
The European Commission has proposed a compulsory reduction, as from 2012, in CO2 emissions down to 120 grams per kilometer. Few vehicles currently comply with this exigency. Moreover, from 1 January 2008, cars that contaminate less will pay less taxes.
One of the ways of achieving these environmental objectives is making automobiles lighter, given that the reduction in mass of a vehicle reduces its fuel consumption.
Within this context, Mondragon University is leading a research project with the aim of making the structure of cars lighter. In this way CO2 emissions and environmental impact will be reduced. The alternative materials for this lightening process of vehicles are those based on carbon fibres, focusing on those employed in the construction of Formula 1 racing cars.
The weight of an automobile may be reduced considerably by using carbon fibres. Moreover, carbon fibre guarantees the safety and comfort of the driver and passengers at all times. But is also has its drawbacks.
Cost is one of these. Carbon fibre materials are very expensive, given that large multinationals have the patents on the formulae for their manufacture. Moreover, in the market, demand is currently greater than the supply, and prices are thus exhorbitant. As a result, one of the goals of this project is to obtain low-cost carbon fibres, focusing specifically on the treatment of tars from petroleum waste, with the collaboration of the petroleum companies.
Another disadvantage of carbon fibre is that its manufacture processes are highly sophisticated, costly and slow compared to the production of conventional metallic bodywork.
To improve on this aspect, the Mondragon Higher Polytechnic School (Mondragón Goi Eskola Politeknikoa) has been working for the past 18 years with plastics and materials composed of organic material. In the materials laboratory, for example, trials are being carried out on samples of materials in order to study their behaviour to different impacts.
The samples of materials are subsequently examined with an electronic microscope in order to analyse in detail the structure of the samples after impact. An electronic microscope contains a vacuum chamber which enables the instrument to work with non-conducting materials and so is suitable for carbon fibre materials.
The project aims to obtain polymers reinforced with nanoparticles and intelligent materials. The new materials should substantially enhance the mechanical characteristics of the current, resin-composite materials. Moreover, the various assembly, dismantling and recycling solutions for the structure will be analysed in order to minimise environmental impact.
With an initial budget of fifteen million euros, it is forecast that the results will be known within four years.