● SK chemicals Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics, Rally to EU Market Riding on Hyundai Motor
- Application of EU-type Hyundai i30N hood material for the first time in Korea
- Aiming at the global market based on top-notch carbon fiber SK chemicals carbon fiber reinforced plastics have been applied to Hyundai automobiles.
SK chemicals (CEO Kim Cheol) announced on the 19th that its carbon fiber reinforced plastic (brand name: SKYFLEX) was applied to Hyundai Motor＇s EU production model ＇i30N Project C＇. SK chemicals SKYFLEX is the first carbon fiber reinforced plastic to be used as a vehicle engine hood material for Hyundai mass production models.
SK chemicals has reduced hood weight by half compared to existing vehicles by applying SKYFLEX, a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) to Hyundai＇s limited model called ＇i30N Project C＇. Carbon composite materials weigh one-fifth that of iron, but are 10 times stronger, making them a "dream material" in the automotive industry, where there is a focus on reducing weight where ever and how ever possible.
According to Hyundai Motor, a 5% reduction in a vehicle＇s weight usually improves fuel efficiency by 1.5% and power performance by 4.5%. In addition, the lighter body reduces the collision energy which lessens damage in the event of an accident, and is also beneficial for the vehicle’s acceleration, steering and braking performance.
Based on carbon dioxide, which is an indicator of vehicle emissions regulations, carbon dioxide emissions per vehicle in the EU in 2016 were 118.1g/km. The EU is implementing a policy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 95g/km by 2021.
Frost & Sullivan, a global market research firm, estimates that to meet the EU environmental targets for 2021, it will require an additional weight reduction of more than 45 kg per vehicle and more than 230 kg over five years.
Seo Sung-gu of SK chemicals’ Reinforced Plastics Division, said, “The movement to tighten regulations on vehicle emissions worldwide, including the EU, is spreading rapidly,” and he predicted that "As a result, the use of carbon fiber reinforced plastics for vehicle weight reduction, which is a major factor in emission reduction, is expected to be further expanded.”
AVK, a German federation of reinforced plastics, estimates that the global automotive market for carbon fiber reinforced plastics will grow 8% annually from 5 trillion won in 2019 to reach 8 trillion won by 2025.
SK chemicals plans to expand cooperation with domestic and overseas automobile and parts companies based on the nation＇s best carbon fiber reinforced plastics technology accumulated over the past three decades.
※ Glossary
? Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP): Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics): A reinforced material made by heating laminated and pressurized epoxy resin or fluorine resin on a substrate made of carbon fiber
? Frost & Sullivan: A consulting and market research firm founded in the United States in 1961 with offices in more than 40 countries worldwidehttps://ww2.frost.com/
? AVK (lndustrievereinigung Verstarkte Kunstoffe): The Reinforced Plastics division of Composite Germany, a federation of reinforced plastics in Germanyhttps://www.composites-germany.org/