Several automakers around the world has been working on developing automotive materials by recycling the used materials. Ford Motor Company has become the first automaker to develop foam and plastic from captured CO2. The biomaterials will be used in the future Ford vehicles in five years. This will surely reduce the need for fossil fuel developed plastics to make the automotive components.
Plastic is used inside the cabin in making parts like dashboard and at exterior for side body claddings and other parts as well. While the foam is used in making the seats of the cars. The American automaker claims, foams developed with up to 50% of CO2 based polyols would reduce the petroleum usage by more than 600 million pounds per year.
Plastic manufacturing demands nearly 4% of total oil usage of the world. Therefore using captured CO2 as the feedstock for making plastic will help to save the fossil fuel. Ford Motor Company has been working on developing sustainable materials for the Ford vehicles. The researchers of the automaker have developed seat foam from soybeans, door bolsters from kenaf, floor carpeting from recycled t-shirts and denim, seat fabric from recycled plastic bottles.
Debbie Mielewski, senior technical leader of sustainability at Ford Motor Company elaborates, how Ford has been working aggressively to contribute in improving the environment around us by reducing the usage of petroleum based plastic and foam. In 2013 the American automaker started working with several companies, suppliers and universities to find applications for the captured CO2.
Novomer, a New York based company produces innovative materials utilizing the CO2 captured from the manufacturing plants. The captured CO2 is converted through different systems and mad polymer, which could be developed into foam and plastic. Interestingly, this foam and plastic can be easily recycled. The Novomer works together with Ford Motor Company to develop the foam and plastic from captured CO2.
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