Energy Efficient and environmentally Friendly Pretreatments for the Automotive Industry
Research Project, 2012
– 2016
This project will enable lighter cars and solve environmental issues by investigating the new “Environmentally Friendly Pretreatments" (EFP´s) destined to replace phosphating. To reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, car makers strive to use more light metals in the car body. However, the zinc phosphating pretreatment used today has limitations towards aluminum and other light metals. Also, phosphating has environmental issues with heavy metals, high energy and water consumptions and sludge handling. EFP´s recently emerged as attractive alternatives to zinc phosphating. However, knowledge about their behaviour in the pretreatment process and under a paint layer is scarce. The project focuses on exploring and understanding corrosion properties and paint adhesion of painted metal with EFP´s. The objective is to raise the level of confidence with the EFP´s so that they can be introduced without jeopardizing the quality of the painted car body. The project involves a PhD student at Volvo Cars with Chalmers University of Technology as the academic partner.
Participants
Jan-Erik Svensson (contact)
Environmental Inorganic Chemistry
Funding
Volvo Cars
Project ID: P35539-1
Funding Chalmers participation during 2012–2016
Related Areas of Advance and Infrastructure
Sustainable development
Driving Forces