New materials are changing the future of automobiles. Japan is working together to promote the development of lightweight, automotive, automotive and other major automotive parts and components. The key to this is the ability to make plastics a usable polymer compound. The stated goal of the event is to reduce the weight of existing car bodies by half. The use of new materials is expected to boost the popularity of electric vehicles.
Professor Toshiyuki Ito of the University of Tokyo confidently stated at a press conference in Tokyo that we hope to release a car made of high-performance polymer materials that has never been seen so far in September. 'Professor Ito et al. from 2014 Started to participate in government research projects. In the process of researching new materials called 'hard polymers', new results have been published. The resins used in plastic products and films, as well as the rubber used in tires or shock absorbers, belong to Polymers. For the safety and durability of existing vehicles, hard materials such as iron glass are mainly used. If these materials are replaced by plastic, the weight of the vehicle can be greatly reduced.
The fastest development in research and development is the window. Sumitomo Chemical’s team manager, Sugawara, is also very motivated. He said he hopes to replace the metal and glass on the car with resin. As the weight of the car is reduced, the fuel consumption will also decrease. The front windshield is made of transparent resin, and the driver's field of vision will be wider and safer.
The research team focused on hard but fragile polymethyl methacrylate (commonly known as plexiglass) and non-defective and tougher polycarbonate. The researchers combined the advantages of both to create a high-strength transparent resin. The transparent resin has no cracking in the strength test of the front windshield. At present, this material has a tendency to be practical. Mr. Sugawara said that there are already domestic auto companies coming to consult. The current problem lies in the safety rules. Under the current system, the front windshield of the car is only allowed to be made of glass. Professor Ito said: 'Once people understand the powerful properties of transparent resin, the rules will be adjusted.'
Toray is also working to reduce the weight of automobiles. They have developed a technology that incorporates polyrotaxane into the resin to increase its strength. The resulting new material has a tension of 8 times that of the previous one, and the bending is achieved by the strength. 50 times. If the technology is applied to glass fiber, it can be used not only to produce explosion-proof glass, but also to combine with carbon fiber to ensure the weight and durability of the car.
Professor Ito said that polymer materials can play a major role in the research and development of automobiles. Many countries have been studying the ban on the sale of fuel vehicles, and the competition for research and development of electric vehicles is bound to become more intense. People need to improve not only batteries and engines. The Materials Division produces lighter cars, and people will improve their car's endurance and athletic performance. In terms of R&D, it is even more important to achieve lightweight. It is expected that the new car to be released in September will be produced with reinforced plastic. It is expected to be 38% lighter than conventional cars. The same model, made of iron and glass, weighs 1,333 kilograms, while using new materials, it will produce only 832 kilograms.
Can Japan change the future of automobiles with its advantages in chemical technology? At present, the main obstacles to the practical application of new materials are high costs. The cost of new materials vehicles is several times that of existing vehicles. Professor Ito said that their The goal is to increase the cost to achieve more than ten times the performance. Professor Ito, who plans to realize the practical application of new materials in a decade, is full of confidence that 'the research results can't lie in the lab'.