Ford has partnered with Tier I Eagle Industries and XG Sciences to make innovative progress in polyurethane foam for automotive parts.
Among the latest products released by the automotive industry, Ford has partnered with Tier I Eagle Industries and major graphene supplier XG Sciences to invent an innovative method that uses a very small amount of graphene to greatly enhance the thermal conductivity of lightweight foam And improve the noise reduction effect. This new material is named xGnP graphene-reinforced polyurethane (PU) foam.
Graphene has been widely used in the automotive industry. As an allotrope of carbon, its strength is 200 times stronger than steel, and it is one of the best conductive materials found so far. It is also a good sound barrier material, very thin and flexible.
Ford uses a very small amount of graphene, less than 0.5%, which can help to achieve significant improvements in durability, sound resistance and weight reduction, an application that others have not paid attention to.
The new material is used in the manufacture of many automotive parts, such as fuel rail covers, pump covers and front engine covers. Tests conducted by Ford and its collaborators show that mixing graphene with PU foam components has significantly improved noise reduction, mechanical properties, and heat resistance compared to unused traditional graphene foam materials.
Graphene currently has potential in many fields of application. Graphene-reinforced PU foam offers possibilities for other materials and creates methods to achieve significant performance improvements. The new material will be used in the production of parts of some Ford cars, including the Ford F-150 and Mustang.
Eagle Industries, headquartered in Wixom, Michigan, is a leading supplier of parts for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). XG Sciences, Inc. is a leading supplier of graphene nanosheets and other customized advanced formulations, supplying products to global OEMs, including electronics, energy and industrial markets in various countries.
Earlier this month, XG Sciences completed the first phase of expansion, building a new 64,000 square foot factory. The expansion has increased graphene production capacity by 90 tons / year, and can produce up to 18,000 tons of graphene per year. The second phase is expected to be completed by the end of this year and will further increase production capacity. Capacity expansion will help XG achieve its goal of continuing to advance the commercialization of graphene in customer products across multiple vertical industries.