Graphene will be used as an enhanced polyurethane foam material for Ford motor vehicles

In its first report in the automotive industry, Ford, together with Tier I Eagle and graphene supplier XG Science, found a way to use a very small amount of graphene to improve the main performance of automotive components under the hood, namely lighter weight, better thermal conductivity and reduced noise. The material has been called xGnP graphene-reinforced polyurethane (PU) foam.
graphene is 200 times stronger than steel and is one of the world's most conductive materials,
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. It is a huge sound barrier, very thin and flexible. Graphene is not economically suitable for all applications, but Ford, in partnership with Eagle Industries and XG Science, has found a way to maximize its benefits by using small amounts of graphene in fuel rail covers, pump covers, and front bonnets.
the breakthrough here is not in the materials, but in how we use them," said Debbie Mielewski, Ford's senior technology leader and sustainability and emerging materials company. We can use very little, less than 50 percent, to help us achieve significant improvements in durability, sound resistance, and weight loss -- applications that no one else cares about.
2014, Ford began working with suppliers to study the material and how to use it in tests of automotive components such as fuel rail covers, pump covers and front bonnets. In general, trying to reduce noise in the carrier means adding more material and weight, but graphene is the opposite. "A small amount of graphene has a long way to go, and in this case, it plays a big role in sound absorption," said John Bull, president of Eagle Industries.
graphene is mixed with PU foam components, Tests conducted by Ford and suppliers have shown a 17% reduction in noise, a 20% increase in mechanical performance and a 30% increase in heat resistance compared to foams without graphene.
, chief executive of XG Sciences, said: "We are excited about the performance benefits our products offer to the Ford and Eagle industries. "Working with early adopters such as Ford Motor Company has demonstrated graphene's potential in a variety of applications, and we look forward to extending our collaboration to other materials and further improving performance." Graphene is expected to start production by the end of the year, producing more than 10 under-hood components for the Ford F-150-150 and Mustang, which will eventually be used in other Ford vehicles.
, based in Wixom, Michigan, is a leading supplier of NVH components for automotive OEMs and Tier 1 communities. Headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, XG Sciences is a major supplier of graphene nanoplates and custom advanced formulations to OEMs worldwide in the composite, electronics, energy and industrial markets. XG has delivered unique high-performance products to more than 1,000 customers in 47 countries.
early October, XG Science completed the first phase of expansion in its latest 64,000-square-foot facility. The expansion adds 90 tons/year of graphene nanoplate production capacity, resulting in a total capacity of approximately 180 tons/year for the facility, which can produce up to 18,000 tons of advanced materials per year. The second phase of the expansion, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, will bring the total production of graphene nanoplates at the facility to 400 tons per year.
total graphene nanoplates at XG's two manufacturing plants are currently more than 200 tons per year and will double in the next three months to about 450 tons per year by the end of the year. Expand support for XG's mission to continue the use of commercial fossil inks in customer products in different industries.