TRELLEBORG, Sweden (Nov. 10, 2010) — Trelleborg Automotive is embarking on a pioneering research project that could increase the durability and reduce the whole life costs of rubber-based components for the automotive industry.
The joint research program, funded by the France´s Ministry of Research and Higher Education, will see Trelleborg investigate the correlation between fatigue cracks and the dispersal of carbon black particles found within the rubber matrix.
The project will involve the study of multiphase materials and will examine the impact of the mixing, injection and mold design process on rubber durability.
The grant will enable the maker of polymer-based solutions for automotive applications to dedicate significant resource to this project, which in addition to delivering material insights, could have real financial benefits for the automotive industry, according to Pierre Charrier, Trelleborg Automotive research manager.
In the four-year research program, Trelleborg will work with the ENSIETA engineering school in Brest, France; Lorient, France-based UBS University; the French Rubber and Plastics Laboratory; and Ecole Centrale de Nantes.
Trelleborg Automotive is a business unit of Sweden´s Trelleborg A.B.