The 2023 Detroit Auto Show kicked off with automotive professionals attending the event Sept. 13-14, at Huntington Place, Detroit. North American manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis, showcased their newest electric, hybrid and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Many of these vehicles incorporate components made with Envalior materials.
The 2023 Detroit Auto Show kicked off with automotive professionals attending the event Sept. 13-14, at Huntington Place, Detroit. North American manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis, showcased their newest electric, hybrid and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Plus, attendees had the opportunity to test drive many of the vehicles and see the innovative technologies and components inside these automobiles.
It was easy to come across automobile components made of Envalior materials, approximately 90 percent of all new cars globally incorporate an Envalior material these days. For instance, our Akulon® RePurposed recycled ocean plastic is in the Ford Bronco Sport, which was showcased at the Ford exhibit.
Ford uses wiring harness clips made of ocean-harvested plastic “ghost gear” in Bronco Sport models. Although invisible to vehicle occupants, the wiring harness clips fasten to the sides of the Bronco Sport second-row seats and guide wires that power various features in the vehicle’s cargo area. Ford testing shows that the Akulon® RePurposed material, despite having spent time in salt water and sunlight, is as strong and durable as petroleum-based clips.
The Akulon® RePurposed material is made using nylon fishing nets collected from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. The nets are cleaned and processed using a proprietary process to create a strong polyamide 6 (PA6) engineering material with performance comparable to new petroleum-based plastics. In 2022, this application was also recognized by Ford as the first of many potential uses for recycled ocean plastics in a major vehicle platform.
Also at the Ford exhibit, the 2024 Mustang EcoBoost was showcased, which contains an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) tube made of our Xytron™ material, a high-performance plastic compound based on PPS (polyphenylene sulphide). This material offers great chemical resistance, dimensional stability, intrinsic flame retardancy and high stiffness.
The Kuga was displayed at the Ford exhibit too, which contains a hot charge duct that is made of our Akulon® materials, high-performance polyamide 6 and polyamide 66 materials. Akulon® grades are offered for injection molding, blow molding and extrusion. In molded parts the material offers an excellent balance of easy design and processing with outstanding mechanical properties over a wide temperature range and in diverse conditions.
At the Jeep exhibit, the Wagoneer was displayed, which contains charge air cooler endcaps made of Akulon® Diablo HDT2500. Replacing metal end caps with high-heat-resistant plastics in charge air cooler (CAC) applications can lead to improved engine performance, better fuel efficiency and reduced system costs.
As OEMs and system suppliers seek to improve engine performance and fuel efficiency, high-heat thermoplastics, such as Envalior’s Akulon® Diablo and Stanyl Diablo, meet and exceed these extreme requirements. Diablo technology was specifically engineered for extremely high continuous use temperatures and is available with different glass fiber contents.
At Buick’s exhibit, the Envista was showcased, which utilizes a blow molded hot charge air duct made of Arnitel. The air duct made of Arnitel replaces a thermoset rubber component, significantly reducing the weight, cost and design complexity of the vehicle’s turbocharger system.
Arnitel® is a unique fit for air duct application requirements, specifically the flexibility of material that is needed to create a duct’s complex shape, as well as the strength to tolerate peak temperatures from 160°C -180°C. This is made possible through careful formulation of Arnitel’s multiblock structure, which includes hard segments for mechanical strength, soft segments that deliver rubber-like elasticity, impact strength and thermo-oxidative stability.
Envalior, formerly Envalior and Lanxess HPM, is a global leader in material solutions, developed to meet a wide variety of technical challenges in mobility, making electric vehicles safer, lighter and more sustainable. Envalior offers a robust portfolio of materials built to support next-generation technologies across a broad range of global industries, including automotive and electronics. Our solutions are backed by extensive research, testing and collaboration with OEMs and tier suppliers, to deliver on all your safety, reliability and design flexibility needs.
Global Manager of Messaging and Content Development
Candace Roulo is Global Manager of Messaging and Content Development for Envalior. Based in Troy, Michigan, she specializes in writing blogs and articles about advanced materials solutions. Prior to joining Envalior, Candace served in editorial roles at SME and Penton Media. Candace earned her bachelor’s degree in communication, specializing in public relations, at Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences.
28 September 2023
