Flagship A – CO SMART

Activities and Prototypes under Spoke 11
Innovative materials and lightweighting

SUSTAINED Project

Sustainable high-performance composites

  • Developed new composite materials based on polyamide 6 from discarded fishing nets and recycled carbon fibers, with drastically reduced environmental impact.
  • 150% reduction in global warming potential (-5.74 tons of CO2 equivalent for every ton of composite (rPA6 with 10% rCF) produced.
  • Made prototypes for the automotive sector, including a safety component (seat belt connector), completely from recycled materials (PA6 from fishing nets + 10% recycled carbon fibers).
  • Higher mechanical performance compared to composites based on virgin materials and successfully passed tests according to Stellantis requirements.

BOOSTER - ECOFRIEND – REOBTAIN Projects

From waste oil to multifunctional automotive materials

Polyols were obtained from spent frying oil and used for the production of flexible polyurethane foams (density 80-160 kg/m3) with a bio-based content of 80 percent, characterized by:

  • Good compressive strength
  • Excellent shape recovery

Applications: seat padding and NVH (Noise, Vibrations and Harshness) components such as dashboards and door panels.

  • Integration of microencapsulated PCMs for multifunctional foams, capable not only of insulating but also of absorbing and releasing heat between 30-40 °C, contributing to thermal control of the passenger compartment.
  • Production of biolubricants: polyols from waste oil present ottimo comportamento viscosità temperatura (viscosity index 137>100), very good chemical and thermal stability, good friction properties, suitable for clamping operations.

AMATEVI Project

Antimicrobial materials for car interiors

Project goal: To develop functional fabrics and coatings with antimicrobial activity for vehicle interiors, using innovative technologies such as electrospinning.

  • Made nonwoven fabrics by electrospinning of nylon 6 recycled from discarded fishing nets, containing LDH structures functionalized with antibacterial compounds.
  • Developed polymer formulations based on bio-based and recycled plastics, loaded with active nanostructures to achieve surfaces with antimicrobial properties.
  • Performed the complete characterization of the optimized structures (TNT/polymer + functionalized electrospun fiber layer) in terms of thermal properties, mechanical properties, and photothermal aging resistance.
  • Validated the antimicrobial effectiveness of manufactured materials in limiting the growth of microorganisms, with tests on demonstration prototypes.