There is so much emphasis these days on how we power vehicles — i.e. gasoline, diesel, biofuels, electricity, or a combination of each — we often forget the importance of reducing vehicle weight. Making lighter vehicles, as Amory Lovins has been arguing for years, is the key to increased efficiency and will result in less fuel/electricity consumption per mile/kilometre driven. A Toronto-based company called Morph Technologies has come up with a process for making certain vehicle parts out of nanometals that it claims is more economical. The company recently got project funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada that involves collaboration with an auto parts maker in hopes of demonstrating two applications of its technology, called MetaFuse — a nanocrystalline metal/polymer hybrid. Essentially, MetaFuse is a nanometal coating that goes over thermoplastics, but the nanometal can also be made into parts directly.

According to the SDTC project description: Morph Technologies Inc. has developed a nanometal polymer which offers up to 47% weight reduction in engine and drive train vehicle components over equivalent steel parts. The MetaFuse technology combines the cost advantages and formability of plastics with the mechanical properties of metals by marrying high strength nanometal claddings with engineering polymers. This combination allows new designs that reduce the weight of the parts produced, resulting in improved fuel economy and reduced air emissions. The project focuses on different technology applications like: fuel rails (for pressure), valve rockers, transmission spool valves, shift forks (for stiffness and load bearing) or transmission damper skates (for wear).

Morph is a spin-off from Integran, another Toronto-based nanomaterials company with close ties to the University of Toronto. Dupont Engineering Polymers (also an equity investor) and Algonquin Automotive are also partners in the Morph Technologies joint venture and will be actively participating in the SDTC project. The goal is to produce lightweight parts, often with complex shapes, that have the stiffness of magnesium or aluminum but are much stronger. Potential parts include brake pedals, steering wheel columns, fuel rails, oil pans and accelerator pedals.

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