Claudio Mingazzini , researcher at the Enea Materials Technologies Laboratory in Faenza and coordinator of the project |
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The new fibre-reinforced composite material is based on a recyclable prepreg |
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Italian technology plast / October 2024 |
A new composite material for lithium battery boxes that make electric vehicles safer , more efficient and more sustainable has been developed in the laboratories of Enea , the Italian national agency for new technologies , energy and sustainable economic development . This is the first result of the Fenice project , co-funded by the EU within the EIT Raw Materials community and coordinated by Enea , with the participation of 10 entities , including Centro Ricerche FIAT ( CRF ). The new fibre-reinforced composite material is based on a recyclable pre-preg patented by the Italian company Crossfire , a project partner itself , and may provide a promising alternative to the materials currently available on the market for the production of battery boxes . In recent years , car manufacturers , starting with the sports car and racing sectors , have taken up the technological challenge to reduce |
the weight of vehicles , especially electric ones , with the aim of increasing their range and reducing CO2 emissions . So much so that the market of lightweight composites for motor vehicles is experiencing an exponential growth . “ However , composite materials suitable for mass production have to be fabricated quickly and without generating waste or toxic substances during production ,” explains Claudio Mingazzini , researcher at the Enea Materials Technologies Laboratory in Faenza and coordinator of the project . “ In addition , raw materials must be cost-effective , recyclable and , preferably , come from a European supply chain ” Mingazzini adds . The Italian company , Tacita , specialising in the development of motorcycles and electric vehicles , has already carried out a set of tests under real conditions and experimented with this composite in the sports field , testing it as a replacement |
for the current aluminium battery boxes also on the motorcycles that took part in the Paris- Dakar 2024 race . Soon this technology will be transferred to the road version of these motorcycles .
THE ROLE OF PET Developed as part of the Fenice project , the battery box prototypes use a new resin produced by Crossfire that incorporates all the abovementioned properties . The resin is obtained from PET , the plastic material from which common bottles are made . Thanks to an innovative formulation and design , the material is able to meet the requirements for the production of various structural components destined for electric cars , including the battery box . Consisting of alternating layers of fibre-reinforced composite material and aluminium , this box also delivers excellent flame retardant properties .
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“ Although statistics show that electric vehicles are much less likely to catch fire than cars powered with fossil fuels , our aim is to increase the overall safety level , which also includes road accidents , running off the road , flooding and fires of external origin . For these reasons , the new battery box is designed for withstanding even the most adverse conditions ,” continues the researcher . “ This is only the first result , but as such it represents an important step to accelerate the electrification and decarbonisation of the means of transport ,” Mingazzini concludes . The Fenice project will also study the possible applications of this composite material ( and other similar ones based on different resins ) also in areas outside the automotive sector , ranging from boating to railways , from construction to wind power , always with the aim of combining the needs of mass production with sustainability . |
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