Ford adapts cell phone material for parts
It’s in cell phones and even some sporting goods.
And soon, for the first time in the automotive industry, it will be under the hood in Ford vehicles.
Graphene has recently generated the enthusiasm and excitement in the automotive industry for paint, polymer and battery applications.
Dubbed a “miracle material” by some engineers, graphene is 200 times stronger than steel and one of the most conductive materials in the world.
It is a great sound barrier and is extremely thin and flexible.
Graphene is not economically viable for all applications, but Ford, in collaboration with Eagle Industries and XG Sciences, has found a way to use small amounts in fuel rail covers, pump covers and front engine covers to maximize its benefits.
Graphene is a material used in coating, cell phones and even some sporting goods – and soon, will be used under the hood in Ford vehicles, a first in the automotive industry.
Graphene was first isolated in 2004, but application breakthroughs are relatively new.
The first experiment to isolate graphene was done by using pencil lead, which contains graphite, and a piece of tape, using the tape to pull off layers of graphite to create a material that is a single layer thick – graphene. This experiment won a Nobel Prize in 2010.
In 2014, Ford began working with suppliers to study the material and how to use it in running trials with auto parts such as fuel rail covers, pump covers and front engine covers.
Generally, attempting to reduce noise inside vehicle cabins means adding more material and weight, but with graphene, it’s the opposite.
Graphene is expected to go into production by year-end on over ten under hood components on the Ford F-150 and Mustang and eventually, other Ford vehicles.