Ford develops graphene-enhanced PU foam that reduces vehicle noise and weight

At a recent conference, Ford Motor demonstrated its innovative graphene-enhanced polyurethane (PU) foam that reduces vehicle noise while reducing vehicle weight
.
This foam is said to be used in all of Ford's North American vehicles
.

One of the biggest challenges in developing foams is dispersing nanomaterials such as graphene into sticky polymers and preventing them from agglomerating during mixing, said Alper Kiziltas, Ford sustainability and emerging materials technology specialist
.
Kiziltas said XG Sciences provided graphene compatible with PU chemistry in sufficient quantities and at a reasonable cost
.
Eagle Industries, a Tier 1 PU molder, was involved in processing the foam
.

Polyols containing graphene cannot be processed like typical additives
.
In order to preserve the properties of graphene, the material has to be treated differently
.
"Combined with the needs of Eagle's manufacturing process, a unique method was developed to combine and disperse graphene with the polyol side of the foam," said Kiziltas
.

Another challenge for Ford in developing the PU was conceptual
.
For new materials, it is widely believed that if the application consumes more material, it will achieve better performance
.
Counterintuitively, Kiziltas said, Ford started lowering the concentration of graphene in the polyol
.
As the concentration decreases, the properties of the resulting foam increase
.
Graphene now makes up less than 0.
3 percent of the foam, he said
.
"We obtained very good mechanical, thermal and physical properties
.
" Kiziltas said that it is very simple to formulate PU with graphene
.
It requires almost no changes other than adding graphene
.
Other challenges are typical for companies when introducing new materials
.
One is cost, because customers are price-sensitive
.
Ford must ensure the new foam is at least cost-neutral, Kiziltas said
.
Also, because foam is a new material, Ford had to make sure it met or exceeded the part's requirements, Kiziltas said
.
Compared to the graphene-free foam, the compressive strength and modulus increased by about 20 percent, he said
.
Thermal warping increased by 30%
.
The sound absorption coefficient has been increased by 25%
.
Parts made of foam are more than 10% lighter
.
Automakers are eager to reduce the weight of vehicles because they can travel farther on a tank of fuel, reducing emissions
.

Ford introduced the foam in 2018, and it's used in parts such as engine covers, fuel pump covers and fuel rail covers
.
These covers are limited to internal combustion engines
.
However, Ford sees a potential use for the foam in electric vehicles (EVs)
.
Ford's foam can be used in headliners, door panels and under carpets to reduce electric vehicle noise, Kiziltas said
.
According to it, companies outside the auto industry are also inquiring about the bubble
.