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BMW and SGL to triple production capacity at Moses Lake carbon fiber plant with $200M expansion; world’s largest carbon fiber plant

Green Car Congress

A production line for carbon fiber takes the PAN precursor through two stages (stabilization/oxidation and carbonization) and then to winding. The site expansion, scheduled to be completed by early 2015, will make the plant in Moses Lake the world’s largest carbon fiber plant. 3,000 tons of carbon fiber.

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DOE to award up to $12M for technologies to produce renewable carbon fiber from biomass

Green Car Congress

The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award ( DE-FOA-0000996 ) up to $12 million in funding to advance the development of a cost-competitive pathway to produce high-performance carbon fiber for vehicle lightweighting from renewable non-food biomass. Reducing a vehicle’s weight by just 10% can improve fuel economy by 6% to 8%.

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Magna to produce carbon fiber composite body panels

Green Car Congress

Magna Exteriors, an operating unit of Magna International, has been awarded new business to supply painted automotive body panels made from carbon fiber composite material for two 2016 model-year vehicles. This effort followed the successful collaboration between Magna and Zoltek to develop CFS-Z carbon fiber sheet molding compound.

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Swedish researchers explore use of carbon fiber as active electrode in structural battery for electric vehicles

Green Car Congress

Woven carbon fiber can act as an electrode for lithium ion batteries. Researchers in Sweden are exploring the use of carbon fiber as an active electrode in a multifunctional structural Li-ion battery in an electric car; i.e., electrical storage is incorporated into the body of the car. In this €3.4-million million (US$4.7-million)

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Lamborghini introduces new monofuselage carbon fiber monocoque concept

Green Car Congress

As well as a monocoque made entirely of multi-technology carbon fiber, it features a front structure in Forged Composites; a special material made of short carbon fibers soaked in resin. The LB744 is also the first super sports car to be fitted with a 100% carbon fiber front structure.

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Toray to expand carbon fiber supply to Boeing in $8.6B deal

Green Car Congress

has agreed in principle to supply carbon fiber TORAYCA prepreg for the production of the new 777X aircraft by The Boeing Company. TORAYCA Prepreg is an intermediate TORAYCA product supplied in sheets consisting of resin-impregnated carbon fiber. Japan-based Toray Industries, Inc.

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Borealis Fibremod technology available for N American market; glass and carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene

Green Car Congress

Borealis’ customized carbon and glass fiber-reinforced PP solutions bring lighter weight, extra strength, and greater impact performance across applications ranging from front end and tailgate modules to instrument panel and center console carriers. Fibremod PP carbon fiber (CF).