At the ninth annual SPE Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition, Deborah Mielewski, technical leader of Plastics Research, Research & Innovation Laboratory, Ford Motor Co. (Dearborn, Mich.), will open the conference with a lecture on advances in ecological materials.<\/b><\/p>\n
The address, entitled Can you Be-Leaf It? Development & Implementation of Sustainable Materials for the Automotive Industry, will aim to cast some light upon developments in environmental technologies such as bio and natural-fibre composites and recycled polymers. “Within Ford Motor Company’s research lab, our plastics group has been focused on developing biomaterials for almost a decade – long before it was fashionable to be green,\u201d says Mielewski. “Our group’s efforts have been focused on soy-based polyurethane foams, natural-fibre reinforced composites, and polymer resins made from plant sources,\u201d she adds. “These [sustainable] technologies provide positive environmental impact by utilizing renewable resources, reducing CO2 emissions, by being entirely compostable, and – in some cases – reducing weight, which helps improve fuel economy,\u201d concludes Mielewski.<\/p>\n
During Mielewski\u2019s lecture, she aims to discuss the technologies that Ford has developed and the challenges her team have overcome and aims they have struggled to achieve.<\/p>\n
Dr. Mielewski, technical leader-Plastics Research at Ford\u2019s Research and Innovation Center, has spent the past 22 years working for Ford in a variety of positions, ranging from automotive paints, to polymer processing, to materials development. She initiated a biomaterials program at Ford Research in 2001, and her team demonstrated soy-based foam on a concept vehicle (Model U) at the January 2003 Detroit International Auto Show. Ford has since launched soy-based foam seating on the 2008MY Mustang sports car and six other models. Mielewski\u2019s group continues to research and develop sustainable materials that can meet stringent automotive requirements, including natural-fibre and soy-flour reinforcement for plastics, and compostable resins made from renewable feedstocks. <\/p>\n