Year in Review: Plastics in Automotive and Mobility ApplicationsYear in Review: Plastics in Automotive and Mobility Applications

AI emerges as a tool for polymer design, and more

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been the hype word of the IT sector for a few years now, with the jury still out on the extent to which it will be a transformative tool for business practices, production, and R&D. In terms of plastics-specific developments, we reported on the use of AI to optimize polymer design. Scripps Research, for example, used the technique to narrow down a library of nearly 50,000 chemical structures to three candidates for film capacitors used in electric vehicles (EVs).

And while we haven’t yet reported on this, Japanese company Mazin is also turning to AI to address a declining population in Japan — and the consequent shortage of experienced injection molding machine operators — with its system that recommends processing parameters on a case-by-case basis.

Energy-efficient carbon-fiber production, bolstered by recycling

Despite its valuable contribution to lightweighting, carbon fiber is energy-intensive to produce, expensive, and difficult to recycle. Efforts continue, however, to make the technology more accessible to the wider mobility market.

A pilot plant that will synthesize carbon fiber from wood started up in Germany in October 2024 at German research institute Technikum Laubholz to demonstrate an energy-efficient process that stabilizes the fibers at lower temperatures and in a shorter time than when producing carbon fibers from fossil-based raw materials.

Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, meanwhile, have designed a closed-loop path for synthesizing an exceptionally tough carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and later recovering all of its starting materials.  

Recycled content grades mobilized for impending EU legislation

Starting from 2030, the EU has mandated a minimum recycled resin content of 25% for plastic automotive components, of which 25% must be sourced from end-of-life vehicles. Resin suppliers are responding with a raft of offerings incorporating recovered plastics.

Kraiburg TPE, for example, now offers lightweight thermoplastic elastomers with a recycled content of 10 to 60% with almost exactly the same material properties as the existing series.

For its part, Borealis has unveiled Borcycle GD3600SY, a glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) compound with 65% post-consumer recycled (PCR) polymer content. It will first be used in automotive interiors in a landmark project in partnership with Plastivaloire.

Borealis’ glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene compound with 65% post-consumer recycled polymer content will be used in automotive interiors in a partnership with Plastivaloire, a thermoplastic injection specialist and Tier 1 supplier to the automotive sector, and OEM Stellantis. Image courtesy of Stellantis.

Capacity buildup for battery-separator film

The Inflation Reduction Act and other incentives are accelerating investment in the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain in North America. 2024 saw multiple major announcements, including serious money directed at manufacturing ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) battery-separator film.

Entek, the sole US-owned and based producer of “wet-process” lithium-ion battery separator film (BSF), received a conditional commitment of up to $1.2 billion for a direct loan from the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) to finance a new facility in Terre Haute, IN. In addition, battery-separator manufacturer Microporous is investing $1.35 billion to establish a new manufacturing facility in Pittsylvania County, VA. The project will create 2,015 new jobs.

We also noted that much of the investment in electric vehicles and related components, as well as clean energy such as solar, is being made in Republican congressional districts, representing 85% of investments and 68% of jobs. This is somewhat ironic given that these states are represented by senators who unanimously opposed the legislation.

Advances in EV battery technology

Safety is sacrosanct when it comes to EV batteries; on the other hand, high power density and fast charging are also highly sought attributes. Meanwhile, weight savings, however incremental, are valued by automakers who want to address range anxiety as much as possible.

Material suppliers are addressing these OEM demands and desires in a multitude of ways. The Soteria Big Consortium, for example, has developed a plastic film–based current collector that reportedly can reduce the occurrence of battery fires caused by damage, abuse, or manufacturing defects by more than 90% compared with conventional metallic aluminum and copper foil.

BASF supported development of a cooling system based on PA 6 pipes for the RML Hypercar. PA was also used in the battery housing and individual battery cell holders. Image courtesy of BASF.

Replacing steel and aluminum with polymer solutions for battery housings, preventing thermal runaway with flame-retardant plastics, and innovative battery cooling systems for high-performance batteries are some of the other areas where plastics are playing key roles.