Group NanoXplore, a Canadian company specializing in the production and application of graphene and its derivative materials, has announced that Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) will partner with the company to support the commercialization of lighter, more reliable and higher-efficiency components for electric motor systems using graphene-enhanced engineering plastics in place of metals. The total value of the project is $10.4 million.
Replacing metals with plastics will require innovative polymers with unique thermal, electrical, and strength characteristics. NanoXplore has developed and is providing customers with graphene-enhanced polymers with enhanced electrical, thermal and mechanical properties. By adding trace amounts of graphene to carefully-selected polymers, engineering plastics can be tailored to improve electric motors and the systems they are used in.
"Next generation electric and hybrid commercial vehicles need to address the range limitation issue," says Dr. Soroush Nazarpour, President and CEO of Group NanoXplore Inc. "NanoXplore uses graphene to enable next generation commercial vehicles, in part through extremely lightweight polymer structures. SDTC's support will help us accelerate our product development and market launch efforts both in Canada and international markets."
