Michigan State University will take a major role in a national push to advance research and development of composite materials, President Barack Obama announced last week.
In a speech on Friday, Obama announced a national consortium made up of 122 entities that is backed by $70 million in funding over the next five years by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Michigan State’s role in the consortium will be to lead the light-and-heavy-duty vehicle component of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), according to a university statement.
Michigan State’s goal will be to research “advanced fiber-reinforced polymer composites,” which are strong plastics combined with strong fibers, which can be lighter and stronger than steel.
“Michigan State University has long set the standard for research in the field of composite materials, and we are proud to be a part of this national endeavor,” said university President Lou Anna K. Simon in a statement.
Other states involved in the IACMI are Illinois, Indiana, Colorado, Kentucky and Tennessee and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville is leading the consortium.
On Friday, Gov. Rick Snyder praised Obama’s announcement and noted the IACMI will have a presence in Detroit.
The consortium will establish a composites manufacturing innovation center in the city. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation made a $15 million commitment to support IACMI activities in Michigan during the next five years as well.
“This award has significant implications on the future of the industry – from the research in the lab to assembly in the plants and applications for vehicles of the future,” Snyder said. “It’s significant for Michigan’s continued leadership in the industry. While the larger auto manufacturers are exploring some of these same material technologies on their own, this grant will help smaller companies with access to the technology, or a place to test innovative ideas.”
In Michigan, MSU will serve as the primary academic partner and will work with corporate partners like Dow Chemical Co., Ford Motor Co., U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and General Dynamics Land Systems among others.
Michigan State is the home of the Composite Materials and Structures Center and the Composite Vehicles Research Center. Lawrence Drzal serves as the director of the Composite Materials and Structural Center and will serve in a leadership position in the new consortium. as the director of the Michigan Center of Excellence. He shared the stage with Obama during his speech in Knoxville.
“These two world-class facilities will serve as the foundation for future work in this program,” Drzal said in a statement. “We’re confident the IACMI will create new jobs, support the expansion of companies and educate technicians and engineers for these industries.”
The materials Michigan State will be trying to develop are especially crucial to the automotive industry.
As carmakers try to increase fuel efficiency while also bolstering the safety of their vehicles, lightweight composites are especially important, said Leo Kempel, dean of the MSU College of Engineering.
“Polymer composites are one of the most transformational technologies on the horizon for reducing the weight of vehicles, whether it’s automobiles, trucks, trains or aircraft,” he said in a statement. “In concert with our partners, MSU will advance knowledge in this critical area.”
Source: Mlive.com