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The joint research team has patented a method of preforming and hot-pressing cellulose fiber reinforced thermoplastics into the durable interior parts customers expect.
These paper-based composites are not only recyclable, they can also be transformed into various interior shapes and sizes, including backlit and ambient light options. The team has also innovated ways to add different textures and colors, so vehicle interior designers enjoy flexibility and creative freedom.
The Volkswagen brand is already checking opportunities to include these paper-based interior parts in future model lines and work to support industry-scale production.
The hub team of Volkswagen and UT researchers is developing recyclable alternatives to plastic parts and foils in the vehicle interior - made of paper
Opened in 2020, Volkswagen’s Innovation Hub is located at the University of Tennessee Research Park at Cherokee Farm in Knoxville, in a region referred to as ‘the Materials Valley’ due to the concentration of research facilities. This includes the ORNL, of which VWGoA has also established research collaborations. Volkswagen researchers, UT faculty and doctoral students as well as ORNL scientists collectively drive research and co-innovation of applied materials research.
Source: Volkswagen Group of America
