Mazda has come up with a bio-based engineering plastic that it says is suitable for exterior automobile parts. Developed in conjunction with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, the new composition is set to be first used on the new Mazda MX-5 - which is making its market debut next year - before finding its way on to other production models.
Made of plant-derived material, the highly mouldable plastic eliminates petroleum use and with it, CO2 emissions. Painting is also a thing of the past with this one - it can be dyed, thereby curbing the need for paint as well as the emission of volatile organic compounds.
The automaker says that a mirror-like finish can be obtained by dying the material, and the resultant finish is of a higher quality than can be achieved with a traditional painted plastic. This will enable the company to produce parts that are as durable as conventional painted ABS plastic parts, yet feature a higher-quality finish than before.
Mazda has been proactively developing biomass technologies for a number of years. Under the Mazda Biotechmaterial name, the company has come up with the automotive industry's first high strength, heat-resistant and plant-based bioplastic for interior parts as well as the world's first biofabric for seat upholstery, the latter made entirely from plant-derived fibre.
No comments:
Post a Comment