In their attempt to develop a more eco-friendly way to reinforce automotive plastics, the efforts of a team of Brazilian scientists have finally bore fruit.
By using fibers from such fruits as bananas and pineapples, the scientists claim they can reinforce new plastics, making them not only stronger and lighter, but more sustainable as well.
Study leader Alcides Leao recently addressed the National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society expounding on the durability of the new plastic's nano-cellulose fibers, some of which are almost as stiff as Kevlar.
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“The properties of these plastics are incredible,” Leao said at the exposition. “They are light, but very strong -- 30 per cent lighter and three-to-four times stronger. We believe that a lot of car parts, including dashboards, bumpers, side panels, will be made of nano-sized fruit fibers in the future. For one thing, they will help reduce the weight of cars and that will improve fuel economy.”
To create these nano-fibers, scientists put the leaves and stems of pineapples or other plants into a device similar to a pressure cooker. Certain chemicals were added and heated over several cycles, producing a fine powder that was then added to the plastics. Scientists say the process is costly, but it takes only one pound of nano-cellulose to produce 100 pounds of super-strong, lightweight plastic.
“So far, we’re focusing on replacing automotive plastics,” said Leao. “But in the future, we may be able to replace steel and aluminum automotive parts using these plant-based nanocellulose materials.”
?Photo: Hola Images/Corbis
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