A “Green” Composite Material to Make Lightweight Car Parts

Have you ever dreamed of a time when a car could be drawing power from its own roof, its bonnet or its door?

According to researchers from Imperial College London and their European partners, including Volvo Car Corporation, this is only an inevitability that will materialize in the near future.

Why do we think so?

They are already developing a prototype material which can store and discharge electrical energy and which is also strong and lightweight enough to be used for car parts.

The result?

Hybrid petrol or electric vehicles that are lighter, more compact and energy efficient, enabling drivers to travel for longer distances before needing to recharge their cars.

New composite material that could revolutionise car design and manufacturing. (Image Credit: Imperial College London.)

In addition…

The researchers believe that this material could be used for the casings of many everyday objects such as mobile phones and computers, so that a separate battery would not be needed!

This would make such devices smaller, more lightweight and more portable.

More about the composite material…

It is made of carbon fibers and a polymer resin
Capable of storing and discharging large amounts of energy much more quickly than conventional batteries
The material does not use chemical processes, making it quicker to recharge than conventional batteries
The recharging process causes little degradation in the composite material, because it does not involve a chemical reaction (conventional batteries however degrade over time)

This composite material…

Is expected to replace the metal flooring in the car boot, called the wheel well, which holds the spare wheel. This could reduce the number of batteries needed to power the electric motor leading to a 15 percent reduction in the car’s overall weight.