セルロースナノファイバーを使ったクルマ作り

―ナノセルロースヴィークルプロジェクトの成果―

抄録

Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) is a new class of bio-based materials with characteristics such as high strength, low thermal expansion and low density, and is produced from various sources of cellulose such as plants. CNF is a carbon neutral and renewable material. Nano Cellulose Vehicle (NCV) Project started in October 2016. It is expected that the reduction of vehicle weight leads to better energy efficiency which reduces emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from vehicles. Contribution to global warming countermeasures is therefore expected. 22 organizations, including domestic universities, research institutes and automobile manufacturers, were working together to put the technology to practical use. At the Tokyo Motor Show 2019, we exhibited a concept car using as many CNFs as possible. The car on display was equipped with 13 CNF components. The evaluation results demonstrated that the use of CNF-based materials is advantageous in reducing the weight of automotive parts.