Choosing More Sustainable Materials

We are working to improve the sustainability of our vehicles by using more sustainable materials. This includes increasing the use of recycled, renewable, recyclable and lightweight materials. Recycled materials incorporate post-consumer and/or post-industrial waste materials; renewable materials are made from plant-based materials; and lightweight materials use special materials and/or designs that provide the same or better performance as other alternatives with less weight.

Recycled Materials

We have focused our efforts to increase recycled materials on non-metallic parts, which traditionally have little or no recycled content. As described previously, we are mandating the use of post-consumer recycled materials in multiple exterior black parts as part of our comprehensive resin strategy. These materials were used in the underbody system of the 2009 Ford Flex, which won the Society of Plastics Engineers 2008 Vehicle Engineering Team Award for use of innovative materials. The Flex's recycled plastic underbody system uses approximately 20 pounds of post-consumer recycled waste per vehicle while reducing costs by 10 to 40 percent. We are also using post-consumer recycled carpeting in many exterior and under-hood parts that use nylon resins, including air cleaner housings, engine fans, fan shrouds, HVAC temperature valves, engine covers, cam covers and carbon canisters.

All of Ford's European vehicles use recycled polymers, where these are seen as contributing to a sustainable material supply and providing a more sustainable solution. The European Ford Focus, for example, uses a wide range of recycled material components, as follows.

• The battery tray is made of 50 percent recycled materials.
• The carpets contain approximately 20 percent recycled content.
• The heater and air conditioning housing contains 25 percent recycled content.
• The fan shroud contains 25 percent recycled content.
• The replacement bumpers are made from 20 percent recycled bumpers.
• The wheel arch liners are made from up to 100 percent recycled polypropylene.
• The air cleaner assembly is made from 25 percent recycled plastics.
• The fabric seat option is made from 100 percent recycled material.
• The roof lining, parcel shelf, instrument panel, insulation and soundproofing materials all include recycled textiles.

In the UK, we are also recycling bumpers that have been damaged in accidents or replaced in service. Ford dealers collect the bumpers, which are recycled into new bumpers and other plastic parts. Previously, dealers had to pay to dispose of these bumpers as waste. Now dealers store them in a container that is collected by Ford for free. One UK Ford dealer alone saved around £15,000 per year by participating in this project. In 2009, more than 23,000 bumpers across the UK Ford dealer network (equating to 70 metric tons of plastic) were diverted from landfill through this program.

In addition, we are using recycled materials for interior and surface parts. This can be much more challenging than using recycled materials for underbody, subsurface and exterior black parts, because it is difficult to get the necessary appearance and performance when using recycled materials. We are continuing to expand our use of recycled seat fabrics and seat components that meet all appearance and performance requirements. The following table highlights these efforts.

Interior Recycled Materials Achievements

Beginning in the 2009 model year, the seat fabrics in our new or redesigned vehicles will have least 25 percent post-industrial recycled content. In addition, many of our non-woven headliner fabrics now contain 50 to 75 percent recycled yarns, depending on their color.

In 2009, Ford joined a three-year research project investigating a new wood/plastic compound known as "liquid wood." Early findings show excellent recycling potential, as the material can be reprocessed up to five times and has an overall near-neutral CO₂ balance.

We have expanded the use of recycled materials in several Class "A" decorative applications. For example, the 2011 Ford Super Duty® will use material derived from recycled battery casings on several aesthetic parts, such as license plate brackets, the 4x2's bumper valence panel and the fog lamp bezels. These parts are "molded in color" and color-matched to provide visual harmony. The Super Duty is also using post-industrial and post-consumer recycled plastic for its fascia lower valence. This plastic was a finalist for the 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers Innovation awards.

In most cases, plastics are "down-cycled" when they are recycled, which means that they cannot meet the original material specifications or use requirements of the virgin plastics from which they came. Our researchers are working on several projects that will recycle post-industrial recycled (PIR) and post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic materials so they have the same level of quality and material specifications originally. For example, we are developing methods for recycling and cleaning PIR fascia and bumper scrap so that it can be molded into new fascias and bumpers. We are working to "upcycle" certain materials – that is, recycle it into uses with higher material and performance requirements than the virgin material. For example, we are working on upcycling post-consumer laundry and milk bottles into blow-molded automotive components. In addition, we are developing a method to recycle PIR and PCR polyurethane foam scrap to make new polyurethane foam components instead of landfilling it at the end of its life.

Renewable Materials

We are actively researching and developing renewable material applications that will reduce our overall use of petroleum products and improve our carbon footprint, while providing superior performance. Research scientists at Ford's Research and Innovation Center in the United States, Ford's Research Center in Aachen, Germany, and Ford of Brazil are focused on developing automotive foams, plastics and composites that are derived from renewable resources.

Since 2002, our researchers have led the development of soy-based polyurethane foams for automotive applications. The manufacture of soy foam reduces carbon dioxide emissions, decreases dependency on oil and increases the utilization of renewable, agricultural commodities. Many technical difficulties had to be overcome to produce soy-based foams that met all durability and performance specifications. In 2007, Ford was the first automaker to implement this innovative technology (on the seat cushions and seat backs of the Ford Mustang), and we have since migrated its use to the Ford Expedition, F-150, Focus and Escape; the Mercury Mariner; and the Lincoln MKS and Navigator. In these vehicles, soy polyol replaces a portion of the standard petroleum-based polyol.

Ford currently has soy foam seats on more than two million vehicles on the road, which reduces petroleum oil usage by approximately one million pounds. Life-cycle analyses that compare soy foams with traditional petroleum-based foams show a net decrease of 5.5 pounds of CO₂ per pound of soy oil used. This results in a net decrease for Ford of greater than 5.3 million pounds of CO₂ annually, given our annual production of vehicles with soy foam seats. The soy foam used on the Mustang alone is expected to deliver a CO₂ reduction of 605,000 pounds annually.

Ford has been recognized for its leadership on soy foam technology through multiple awards, including the 2009 R&D 100 award from R&D magazine, which honors technologies across multiple industries that help to solve societal, scientific and/or business challenges. Additional awards for this material include the United Soybean Board's Excellence in New Uses Award (2006), the Society of Plastics Engineers' Environmental Division Award (2008), the Society of Automotive Engineers' International Environmental Excellence in Transportation Award (2008), and the Society of Plastics Engineers' Automotive Division Innovation Award in the Environment category (2008).

This year we have expanded our use of soy foam to include an industry-first application in headliners, which made their debut on the 2010 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner. The soy-based headliner also provides a 25 percent weight savings versus a traditional glass-mat headliner.

Ford has licensed its soy foam technology to two companies – John Deere and Sears Manufacturing – that are investigating soy foam for seating applications in their agricultural equipment products. Soy foam not only uses a sustainable agricultural crop, but offers the potential for cost savings as well as stability from petroleum product price swings. Ford continues to collaborate with the United Soybean Board, which has sponsored research grants for new applications using soy products. For example, Ford scientists are currently assessing the use of soy meal, flour and hulls as fillers in synthetic rubber applications.

In 2009, Ford introduced the automotive industry's first application of wheat-straw-reinforced plastic. This material debuted in the third-row storage bins of the 2010 Ford Flex. Wheat straw is used to replace some of the glass fibers or talc materials commonly used to reinforce plastic parts. The use of wheat straw is a highly efficient use of natural fiber, because it is a byproduct of growing wheat that is typically discarded. Furthermore, the use of wheat straw-reinforced plastics in the 2010 Flex storage bins alone will reduce petroleum usage by some 20,000 pounds per year and CO₂ emissions by about 30,000 pounds per year. The material weighs up to 15 percent less than plastic reinforced with glass or talc. Additional implementations of wheat-straw-reinforced plastics under consideration by the Ford team include center console bins and trays, interior air registers, door trim panel components and armrest liners.

We are using engineered wood technology, which comes from a certified, sustainably managed forest and is a renewable resource, on several interior applications in North American vehicles. This wood, which is harvested under strict guidelines, is assembled into a composite and then stained to give it a warm, rich appearance. In addition, the use of engineered wood eliminates many of the extra processing steps necessary in producing real wood automotive trim parts, and the processing required is more environmentally friendly. For example, water-based stain can be used instead of solvent-based, and a solvent wash to remove oils is not needed. Additional bleaching and sealing operations are eliminated, which greatly reduces the production of volatile organic compounds. Engineered wood technology uses input materials more efficiently, so less waste material is sent to landfills. Engineered ebony wood was implemented on the 2008 Lincoln Truck, the 2008 and 2009 Navigator and the 2008 MKX. This technology will be used on the 2009 MKS.

In addition, we are using renewable materials on our European vehicles. For example, the Ford Mondeo uses a mixture of 50 percent kenaf plant fiber and 50 percent polypropylene in the compression-molded interior door panel. The average Ford vehicle sold in Europe uses between 10 and 20 kilograms of renewable materials, depending on the vehicle size class. Almost 300 parts used across Ford's European vehicles are derived from sources such as cotton, wood, flax, hemp, jute, and natural rubber.

For the future, Ford researchers are developing and formulating new materials and applications for other renewable materials, such as corn-based, compostable and natural-fiber-filled plastics. These materials will help to reduce the resource burden and waste generated by our vehicles and will help to reduce the weight of vehicles, thereby improving their fuel economy. For example, we are developing a sustainable replacement for the fiberglass now used between the headliner of a vehicle and the roof sheet metal. The replacement material is bio-based, reduces weight, improves acoustics and neutralizes odor.

We are also developing natural-fiber composites as a potential substitute for the glass fibers traditionally used in plastic automotive components to make them stronger. We are assessing the possibility of substituting up to 30 percent of the glass-fiber reinforcement in injection-molded plastics with natural sisal and hemp fibers. These parts have competitive mechanical and thermal properties and good surface appearance, and can be cost competitive. These natural-fiber-reinforced parts also reduce vehicle weight and life-cycle CO₂ emissions compared to glass-fiber-reinforced parts.

Finally, we are investigating ways to use plastics made entirely from sustainable resources such as corn, sugarcane and switchgrass. These bio-based materials could have multiple benefits, including reduced dependency on petroleum, reduced CO₂ emissions and the ability to compost instead of landfill materials at end of life. Ford researchers have made considerable inroads with polylactic acid (PLA) – a biodegradable plastic derived completely from the sugars in corn, sugar beets, sweet potatoes and other vegetables. When plastic parts made from PLA reach the end of their useful life, they can biodegrade in 90 to 120 days. In contrast, traditional petroleum-based plastics are projected to remain in landfills for hundreds of years. We are also assessing bio-yarns for use in making plant-based fabrics.

Lightweight Materials

We are actively pursuing the development of cutting-edge materials to reduce the weight of our vehicles and improve their fuel economy without compromising safety or performance. For example, we are using nanotechnology to develop advanced lightweight materials that will allow us to decrease vehicle weight without sacrificing strength, safety, or performance. Much of this work focuses on developing the ability to model material properties and performance at the nanoscale, which will allow us to develop better materials more quickly and with lower research and development costs.

For example, Ford researchers recently implemented virtual aluminum casting technology, which uses nanoscale modeling of one commonly used aluminum alloy to improve the performance and reduce the costs of lightweight aluminum engine blocks. We are continuing our work with Boeing and Northwestern University, begun in 2007, to expand nanoscale modeling to other alloy types. This research will allow Ford to develop and implement better lightweight materials and significantly reduce the research, testing and prototyping costs and time required to bring these new materials to production vehicles. This technology will advance Ford's goal of utilizing more recycled and recyclable materials by improving our ability to incorporate recycled aluminum without compromising the materials' performance characteristics.

In addition to this modeling work, Ford is experimenting with nano-filler materials in metal and plastic composites to reduce their weight while increasing their strength. For example, we are developing the ability to use nano-clays that can replace glass fibers as structural agents in reinforced plastics. Early testing shows that plastic reinforced with 5 percent nano-filler instead of the typical 30 percent glass filler has strength and lightweight properties that are better than glass-reinforced plastics.

Ford is working to understand the health and safety issues that may be posed by nano-materials. Ford has joined with other automakers under the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) umbrella to sponsor research into nano-materials' potential impact to human health and environmental impacts. This research has addressed many health and environment-related questions so that we can focus our nano-materials research and development in areas that will be most beneficial.

Ford researchers are investigating new types of steel that are up to three times stronger than current steels and improve manufacturing feasibility because they can be formed into parts more easily. We are investigating polymeric plastic strengthening foams that are strong enough to stabilize bodywork in an accident but are light enough to float on water. These foams are being used to reinforce sections of the steel auto body, such as the B-pillars. In addition, we are working on surface coatings that reduce engine friction and remain intact even under the most adverse conditions.

Ford is increasing the use of aluminum and magnesium to reduce vehicle weight. For example, we implemented a new liftgate on the 2010 Lincoln MKT that combines a lightweight, die-cast magnesium inner panel with two stamped aluminum outer panels. This liftgate is more than 20 pounds, or 40 percent, lighter than a similar part made from standard steel.

In Europe, we launched a lightweight liftgate inner panel on the 2009 Ford Kuga, which reduced weight compared to a steel liftgate inner panel by 40 percent and reduced costs by 10 to 20 percent. This liftgate inner panel was a finalist for the Society of Plastics Engineers' 2008 Chassis/Hardware/Powertrain Innovation Award. Ford researchers in Europe are also developing alternative (copper-based) wire harness technologies that will enable significant weight reductions.

The European Fiesta stands on virtually the same footprint as the previous model, but weighs approximately 40 kilograms less, depending on engine choice, even after adding 10 kilograms of safety features and sound insulation. The use of high-strength steels – cold-and hot-formed – were the key to delivering the lighter weight and higher strength we needed for structural efficiency and crash performance. The materials used on the new Fiesta are setting a new benchmark in the small car segment.

Weight reduction alone may have relatively small impacts on fuel economy. By itself, a 10 percent reduction in weight results in approximately a 3 percent improvement in fuel efficiency. However, if vehicle weights can be reduced substantially, it becomes possible to downsize the powertrains required to run the vehicle. Weight reduction combined with powertrain rematching not only improves fuel economy, but helps maintain overall performance (compared to a heavier vehicle with a larger engine).

For more information on our weight-reduction activities, please see the Sustainable Technologies and Alternative Fuels Plan.