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SGL Group and BMW Group JV to Build New Carbon Fiber Plant; Output Exclusively for Upcoming Megacity Vehicle

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SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC, the joint venture between SGL Group and BMW Group ( earlier post ), will build a carbon fiber manufacturing plant in Moses Lake, WA. In the next step, the facility in Moses Lake will convert the polyacrylic fibers into the actual carbon fibers.

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Researchers suggest hybrid graphene oxide/cellulose microfibers could supersede carbon fibers

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Researchers from Nanjing Forestry University and the University of Maryland have designed high-performance microfibers by hybridizing two-dimensional (2D) graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and one-dimensional (1D) nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) fibers. The hybrid microfibers are much stronger than microfibers composed of 1D NFC or 2D GO alone.

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Toyota moves to expand mass-production of fuel cell stacks and hydrogen tanks towards ten-fold increase post-2020

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To prepare for this growth, the company unveiled plans for two major new facilities: a brand-new building near its original automobile factory for expanding fuel cell (FC) stack mass production, and a new line in an existing plant to manufacture high-pressure hydrogen tanks. Expanding sales.

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DOE to invest $30M to further H2 and fuel cell technology as industry continues strong growth

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The 2015 Fuel Cell Technologies Market Report shows that more than 60,000 fuel cells, totaling roughly 300 megawatts (MW), shipped worldwide in 2015. 2015 also saw the world’s first fuel cell vehicles for sale. Source: “2015 Fuel Cell Technologies Market Report” Click to enlarge.

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Toray and Daimler to Jointly Develop CFRP Automobile Parts for Mercedes-Benz Models

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has signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with Daimler AG to develop automobile parts made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). As the world’s largest manufacturer of carbon fiber, Toray has identified expansion of its Carbon Fiber Composite Materials Business in the automotive field as one of its top priorities.

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ABB and Solar Impulse in technology alliance for round-the-world flight powered by the sun

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ABB and Solar Impulse have formed a technology alliance under which ABB will support Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg in their attempt to fly around the world in a solar-powered airplane in 2015. The carbon fiber airplane has the wingspan of a Boeing 747 (63.4m / 208 ft) and the weight of a small car (1,600kg / 3,527 lb).

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Nikkei: Japanese steelmakers and chemical manufacturers focusing on new solutions for vehicle lightweighting

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are working to develop technology for producing carbon fiber at low cost. will build a production line for polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), a high-function resin, at its Kashima plant in Ibaraki Prefecture. The new production line will have an annual capacity of 5,500 tons and become fully operational in 2015.