The new materials for a circular and sustainable economy also for Puglia, the news from the World Materials Forum
The region Puglia it strongly proposes itself as a "laboratory" for the experimentation and production of new technologies and innovative materials, paying particular attention to the environment by vigorously relaunching the sustainable production system.
This is the challenge launched by the general Pasquale Preziosa, member of the Puglia strategic restart group, former chief of staff of the Air Force until 2016 and currently president of the Observatory on Security for EURISPES, in a very interesting article published yesterday in the Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno which illustrates all the new development opportunities in the Puglia region.
“Research and Development is the basis of all the structural changes taking place in our society, for a new circular economy we need new resistant materials such as metals, but derived from natural vegetable substances, recyclable and with a low environmental impact.
It is therefore necessary to accelerate the development of new technologies for the production of materials to save the planet.
As part of the strategic restart group, the New regional investment program and the Recovery Fund programs, Puglia is working to make regional investments future-proof by following the technological trajectory designed by the major world research groups.
The World Materials Forum of Nancy in France (commented on the French newspaper Les Echos), reports the technological innovations in Europe and represents the reference point for the development of new technologies for the production of materials that will revolutionize all sectors of construction of artifacts, from aerospace, to automotive to finish with small components.
Attracting investments in Puglia in the sectors indicated by the World materials forum will be important to keep up with the new technologies of materials whose use will affect the next twenty years.
There are at least five thematic areas that will soon be implemented for new productions.
The French Arkema predicts that carbon fiber combined with thermoplastic resins will be the basis for the construction of the new materials. In particular, the carbon fabric tapes impregnated with castor oil extracts and thermoplastic resins give the fabric technological characteristics of industrial interest.
The Force project, which brings together technological research institutes such as Jules Verne and the companies Arkema, Faurecia, Stellantis (formerly PSA), Renault, Total, will stimulate a new generation of composites to be made starting from textile fibers associated with plastic resins also for the sector automotive.
The forecast is to manufacture lighter car parts with simpler and faster production processes.
The associated costs of materials should halve compared to the current ones, going from 15 euros per kg to 8 euros.
The first carbon fiber spools are already in production on a pilot line.
The goal is to reach the commercialization of the new products in 2025/2026.
The Aeronautical Service of Fiumicino has already developed nano-structured ceramic composites for high thermal insulation and ultra-performing fire protection for the hot parts of the engines and batteries, which guarantee the non-emission of smoke when affected by fire for long time (more than 15 minutes). This very innovative technology is already affecting the aeronautical, maritime, railways, civil and military automotive fields.
This technology confers security of tightness to the containment structures of the artifacts in the event of a fire, including the naval missile part: a missile that does not start from the container when the engines are switched on could cause serious damage to the hull.
The company works with space-saving materials reduced to a few millimeters with the ability to create complex continuous shapes even of large dimensions. Continuing to develop these technologies in Puglia could also be a strength for the universities and regional research centers.
The new hydrogen engines for passenger cars will need both light and highly resistant tanks to the very high internal pressures and the nano-structured carbon fiber is giving the required answers.
The Swiss BComp has been working for more than 10 years on the development of composites based on Linen vegetable fibers, especially for the automotive industry with uses already operated in Formula 1 on McLaren cars.
The next steps will be taken for the production of Morand Cars' electric-powered Hypercar with start of series production in 2023.
The plant-based carbon fiber reduces the trace of CO75 in the atmosphere by 2%, a very interesting fact for the health of the planet.
Solvay is developing new silicon-based components for new generation tires.
Silicon dioxide plays a decisive role in modifying the technological properties of tires both for the reduction (-25%) of the rolling resistance and for the reduction of the aging processes of the compound.
The new generation of tires will allow a 7% reduction in CO2 emissions under the same conditions of use and a reduction in fuel consumption.
All these sectors represent a part of the technological future of the circular economy, Puglia, with its qualified university network, can offer solid foundations for the establishment of new technological realities in the territory, to develop further sectors for new nano-structured materials capable of to be able to replace copper as a conductor of electricity. "