By Daniel Harri
Automakers are now embracing the need of using organic products like switch grass, soybeans and corn for manufacturing car parts. This is because natural products are normally stronger and less costly than plastics, which are made using petroleum. Furthermore, organic car parts offer the great advantage of being environmentally friendly.
Whenever people discuss about green cars, they normally consider hybrid and fuel economy. However, many people forget that all the parts that are used to make a vehicle are largely made using petroleum. In reality, more than 250 pounds of plastic now make up the average vehicle. This kind of plastic is essentially oil-based and is therefore unfriendly to the environment. However, Ford recently showed off plastic trays made using switch grass as well as seat foam made using soybeans. Their vision is to make sure that the 250 pounds of plastic are replaced by organic products.
The other great example of organic car parts is the brake pads. Previously, brake pads were produced through mainly using asbestos like the material for offering friction. Since brake pads are normally exposed to lots of friction, they also generate lots of heat. The use of asbestos is practical as it is a great material that can easily absorb and dissipate heat. However, this material does have a disadvantage. When asbestos is broken down during friction, it creates dust that is hazardous to breathe. This brake dust is normally created when stopping or slowing down the car on the road. Nowadays, most brake parts can be created from organic materials that are far much safer than asbestos.
Organic or non-asbestos brake pads are produced from natural raw materials such as rubber and glass. Resins that have the ability of withstanding high heat are also used to produce this kind of brake pads. Actually, the heat generated when braking helps bind all the organic brake pad components together. An essential component found in several natural brake pads is called Kevlar.
The benefit of using organic car parts is the fact that they are produced using materials that do not contaminate the environment as they gradually wear out. They are also easier to get rid off as well. In the case of organic brake pads, it has been found that they are softer as compared to their asbestos counterparts. This means that they are quieter. However, the fact that organic products are softer means that they wear faster than artificial or petroleum based products. In fact, as organic brake parts wear, they tend to create much more brake dust.
As a result of these limitations, organic brake parts are not the best option for heavy trucks or high performance vehicles that require stopping quickly from high speed. Kevlar and other brake pads produced using natural materials are well suited for smaller vehicles that do not usually undertake lots of fast or aggressive driving. Moreover, the less number of hard stops along with the lightweight nature of the vehicle keeps the organic brake parts in great shape.
All things considered, it is good to see that the vast automotive industry is also going green. Many scientists today continue to look for sustainable ways of building organic car parts that will benefit the environment.
Automakers are now embracing the need of using organic products like switch grass, soybeans and corn for manufacturing car parts. This is because natural products are normally stronger and less costly than plastics, which are made using petroleum. Furthermore, organic car parts offer the great advantage of being environmentally friendly.
Whenever people discuss about green cars, they normally consider hybrid and fuel economy. However, many people forget that all the parts that are used to make a vehicle are largely made using petroleum. In reality, more than 250 pounds of plastic now make up the average vehicle. This kind of plastic is essentially oil-based and is therefore unfriendly to the environment. However, Ford recently showed off plastic trays made using switch grass as well as seat foam made using soybeans. Their vision is to make sure that the 250 pounds of plastic are replaced by organic products.
The other great example of organic car parts is the brake pads. Previously, brake pads were produced through mainly using asbestos like the material for offering friction. Since brake pads are normally exposed to lots of friction, they also generate lots of heat. The use of asbestos is practical as it is a great material that can easily absorb and dissipate heat. However, this material does have a disadvantage. When asbestos is broken down during friction, it creates dust that is hazardous to breathe. This brake dust is normally created when stopping or slowing down the car on the road. Nowadays, most brake parts can be created from organic materials that are far much safer than asbestos.
Organic or non-asbestos brake pads are produced from natural raw materials such as rubber and glass. Resins that have the ability of withstanding high heat are also used to produce this kind of brake pads. Actually, the heat generated when braking helps bind all the organic brake pad components together. An essential component found in several natural brake pads is called Kevlar.
The benefit of using organic car parts is the fact that they are produced using materials that do not contaminate the environment as they gradually wear out. They are also easier to get rid off as well. In the case of organic brake pads, it has been found that they are softer as compared to their asbestos counterparts. This means that they are quieter. However, the fact that organic products are softer means that they wear faster than artificial or petroleum based products. In fact, as organic brake parts wear, they tend to create much more brake dust.
As a result of these limitations, organic brake parts are not the best option for heavy trucks or high performance vehicles that require stopping quickly from high speed. Kevlar and other brake pads produced using natural materials are well suited for smaller vehicles that do not usually undertake lots of fast or aggressive driving. Moreover, the less number of hard stops along with the lightweight nature of the vehicle keeps the organic brake parts in great shape.
All things considered, it is good to see that the vast automotive industry is also going green. Many scientists today continue to look for sustainable ways of building organic car parts that will benefit the environment.
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