New materials for low-carbon transport
Slashing carbon dioxide emissions from transport is essential if Europe is to meet its targets for tackling climate change by 2020. A new class of lightweight materials could help reduce the EU's fuel bill and pollution. The EU-funded project EXOMET (Physical processing of molten light alloys under the influence of external fields) is investigating the potential of using light alloy magnesium or aluminium with a 50 % increase in tensile strength and ductility in vehicle components. Researchers are looking at how to improve the castability of light alloys and scale up production, using a variety of metal casting processes. These include low- and high-pressure die casting, sand casting, differential-pressure casting, twin-roll casting and ultrasound-assisted casting. The mixture of molten metal and nanoparticles will be bombarded with electromagnetic fields and ultrasonic waves to promote an even mixture before the metal solidifies. The application of such fields should bring major savings in processing costs and energy and at the same time help reduce the volume of scrap metals. In the next project stage, EXOMET will assess the use of these materials in four different sectors in the industry. These include automotive powertrain and chassis, aero engine structures, space satellites and rockets, and highly conductive aluminium cables with high strength. Computer modelling, rig testing, standardisation, life-cycle analysis and patenting tasks will also be undertaken over the next project period.
Keywords
Low-carbon transport, metals, nanoparticle technology, light alloys, metal casting
