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Proving nature is, in fact, often better than anything coming off a conveyor belt, we may soon have cars made from pineapples, bananas and coconuts. All of these fruits have fibrous cellulose (nanocellulose) which rivals widely-used Kevlar in strength, reports Wired. Plus, the nanocellulose plastic is lighter than many widely used materials and also biodegradable.
The material would be renewable and decomposable (as long as it's not combined with petroleum-based plastics) -- and a lighter car means a lower gas bill. (Ford is already hoping to slim their vehicles by 250 to 750 pounds, notes Wired.) In a statement, Alcides Leão, a researcher at São Paulo State University, says the material is "30 percent lighter and three to four times stronger." That's because a plant's main cell wall, where cellulose is found, can be processed to yield fibers so tight that 50,000 fit within the diameter of a human hair.
Leão and his team are still working in small quantities in the lab so there's no telling yet how much nanocellulose plastic will cost, but it won't be cheap. Though if it takes off in the automotive world, high production would knock down the price. And it's cost-effective: A pound of nanocellulose yields 100 pounds of plastic.
Once this technology catches on, watch out -- Leão says he's working on steel and aluminum alternatives next.
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3-31-2011 @6:32AM cc said... Back in the 30's, someone discovered that soybeans had the same properties, and built a car that sledgehammers couldn't dent. Then Pittsburgh (steel) manufacturers got into the picture, and you know what happened next....
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3-31-2011 @7:01AM bob furr said... Sounds like an April Fools Joke... how you get 100 pounds out of one pound is the giveaway.
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3-31-2011 @8:10AM FRENCHIE said... I CAN'T HELP PUTTING THIS IN HERE- FACT IS, THIS MAY NOT BE AS FAR FETCHED AS IT SOUNDS. HENRY FORD'S FIRST PROTOTYPE FOR THE MODEL- A HAD A BODY MADE FROM A HEMP COMPOSITE THAT WAS REPORTEDLY 100 TIMES STRONGER THAN STEEL . ALSO, IT WAS REPORTED TO BE 100 TIMES LIGHTER THAN STEEL . MADE FROM THE VERY THING AT THE CENTER OF THIS COUNTRY'S FAILED "WAR ON DRUGS" . AIN'T THAT A HOOT ? IT ALSO BEARS MENTIONING THAT FUEL FOR SAID AUTOMOBILE THAT BURNS 70 % CLEANER THAN FOSSIL FUEL CAN BE MADE FROM IT . WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, 1 ACRE OF GROWING HEMP EQUALS THE OXYGEN OUTPUT OF 5 ACRES OF TREES. BUT, THAT'S A BIT OFF TOPIC . JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THOSE FACTS OUT THERE . DO THE RESEARCH FOR YOURSELF, YOU'LL FIND OUT I'M RIGHT ABOUT THIS ................
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3-31-2011 @8:17AM Ray said... Great! A car that wont rust away but will rot instead. You'll be chased by flies and gnats going down the hiway.
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3-31-2011 @9:15AM bill marvin said... NOW HEAR THIS!!! i think this is great!! there are a great many things in natures kitchen man doesn't know enough about, and this is just one,,, reduce the weight of cars and gas consumption improves because of the lighter car, i say with good news "GO FOR IT" all of us humans need to start thinking of conservation,,, one reason our cars don't do better in the mpg department is that they are to heavy and underpowered,,, for example,,, lower the weight and you reduce the drag and the yield is better gas mileage, which is something we all need
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3-31-2011 @9:59AM chckpope said... They have been making cars from fibrous materials for years, so there's nothing new here. I did notice how they were sure to mention it would be expensive, here's an idea, find something stronger than steel and CHEAP! Morons, we could always find something better for more money, but then that's not progress.
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3-31-2011 @9:55AM Gordon said... A car made from bananas. Hmmmm. Wonder if it will be monkey proof?
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4-11-2011 @1:38PM Mell Gibson said... Ha ha I never heard about this type of car..
http://www.ttcars.net/
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3-31-2011 @11:13AM stew said... a car made out of bananas??? it sure a-peals to me!!!
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3-31-2011 @11:23AM charles wallace said... After reading the above, I would like to eat a fruit salad and be able to totally withstand any impact!
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3-31-2011 @1:08PM Great said... There are several issues to be considered. yes the cost of need fuel consumption can go down by weight reduction but, as we saw by using corn ethanal which isnt very good for fuel, dramatically raised food costs so no savings were madde as food shortages arose from corn shortages.We must remember if you take supply from one place for another the cost of the supply now rises due to demand. You cut some gas exspense but raised food costs again. Banannas arent that fast a maturing crop either and it takes much land to grow adult fruit producing trees so thats an issue. You will need some kind of additive to prevent sun damage and salt damage as the sun will dry the material out quickly of natural oils and salt will make the fiber brittle. Long ways and ton of issues to think about so we don't have the e85 debacle all over again.
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3-31-2011 @1:06PM genius and expert on everything said... this is true and maybe people should actually read the article before leaving moronic comments...oh never mind this is america...the dumbing down has started years ago
Frenchie is correct as well!
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3-31-2011 @1:06PM jack said... There are plenty of fruits driving cars in Key West. This would make the perfect fruitmobile.
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3-31-2011 @6:00PM john Kessler said... This concept is hardly new. Of course there was Ford's soybean-resin (alkyd) 1940 prototype sedan. But for a real production vehicle look to the East German Trabant. Detractors can criticize the inefficient engine but the rest of the car did exactly what it was intended to. It was affordable and durable. The bodies were made from recycled vegetable fiber in a non-petroleum, phenolic resin (thermosetting). It was nearly indestructable and could be shredded and fed to animals when irreparably worn out. The plastic body was not much lighter than steel, as in Corvette and other FG vehicles.
This vehicle will have to work VERY hard to achieve substantial weight loss to achieve expected economy.
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4-06-2011 @1:19PM Steven Ruza said... hahaha monkey proof, chased by flies, pnats....lol. - Steven Ruza
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4-10-2011 @12:36PM steven b ruza said... steven ruza gotta have one
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4-10-2011 @12:36PM steven b ruza said... steven ruza love it
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