Manufacturers and suppliers in the automotive industry have been working to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions during production. A few days ago, car manufacturer Audi, BASF's coating department and material company Covestro formed a joint project team and successfully achieved a new milestone at the Audi production plant in Ingolstadt, Germany: The Audi Q2 test car body Under production conditions, varnishes containing bio-based hardeners are used to complete the coating.
The varnish developed by BASF uses Covestro's Desmodur® eco N 7300 innovative bio-based hardener. 70% of its carbon content is derived from renewable materials, which significantly reduces the consumption of fossil fuels. The varnish as the outermost layer of the coating system can improve the scratch resistance and gloss of the entire paint surface and prevent the influence of sun and other climatic factors.
Improve ecological balance and quality
Dr. Matthijs Groenewolt, head of product development for varnishes and topcoats at BASF, said: "The new varnishes help customers achieve sustainable development goals without affecting product quality and performance."
Dr. Markus Mechtel, Head of Covestro Automotive Coatings Marketing, added: "The use of renewable materials in the production of bio-based hardeners helps to save fossil resources. At the same time, biomass also absorbs carbon dioxide from the environment during growth. In addition, the reduction in the production of bio-based raw materials has further reduced carbon dioxide emissions. "
Test results are pleasing
Thomas Heusser, head of Audi Materials and Process Engineering, said: "The application of bio-based materials in automotive coatings is still in its infancy. However, this new varnish product has met our specifications on existing models and the results have been satisfactory. With this project, Audi will be a pioneer in the adoption of bio-based materials in the automotive industry. "
After the successful completion of the Audi Q2 test car body, Thomas Heusser expressed optimism about the application prospects of the new varnish: "Although not all tests of actual production have been carried out, the three companies have made another step towards improving the sustainability of the car paint process. A big step."