Ford's graphene-containing polyurethane foam reduces car noise and weight

Ford Motor Company has successfully incorporated graphene into polyols to produce a polyurethane (PU) foam that reduces vehicle noise while also reducing weight

The material was shortlisted for the 2021 Polyurethane Innovation Award, presented by the Polyurethane Industry Center (CPI) during the Polyurethane Technology Conference

Graphene is a form of carbon that is one atom thick

It came to prominence in 2004 when two scientists from the University of Manchester described how they could extract the material by using ordinary adhesive tape

Less than a decade after the two scientists were awarded, Ford was able to incorporate graphene into polyols

This foam is now used in all of Ford's North American vehicles

Incorporating graphene into foam

One of the biggest challenges in developing foams is dispersing nanomaterials like graphene into viscous polymers and keeping them from collapsing during the mixing process, said Alper Kiziltas, a specialist in sustainability and emerging materials technology at Ford

XG Sciences offers graphene compatible with polyurethane chemistry in sufficient quantities and at a reasonable cost, Kiziltas said

Polyols containing graphene cannot be processed like normal additives, he said

"Combined with the needs of Eagle's manufacturing process, we developed a unique method to combine and disperse graphene with the foam's polyol," said Kiziltas

Another challenge for Ford to develop polyurethane was conceptual

Counterintuitively, Kiziltas said, Ford started lowering the concentration of graphene in the polyol

Graphene now makes up less than 0.

Formulating polyurethane with graphene is very simple, says Kiziltas

Other challenges are typical of companies introducing new materials

One is cost, because customers are price-sensitive

Also, because foam is a new material, Ford had to make sure it met or exceeded the part's requirements, Kiziltas said
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Compared to the foam without graphene, the compressive strength and modulus increased by about 20 percent, he said
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Thermal warping increased by 30%
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The sound absorption coefficient has been increased by 25%
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Parts made from the foam are more than 10 percent lighter, he said
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Automakers are eager to reduce the weight of their vehicles because they can go farther on a tank of fuel, allowing them to emit less gas
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Ford introduced the foam in 2018, and it's used in parts such as engine covers, fuel pump covers and fuel line covers
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These covers are limited to internal combustion engines
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However, Ford sees a potential use for this foam in electric vehicles (EVs)
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It turns out that the white noise of the engine masks the rumble and squeak of everyday driving
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These annoying sounds are even more pronounced in electric vehicles because they don't have an internal combustion engine
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Kiziltas said Ford's foam can be used in front linings, door panels and under carpets to reduce the noise of electric vehicles
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Companies outside the auto industry are also inquiring about the bubble, he said
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