Ford Motor Company started its Sustainable Biomaterials and Plastics Research Program in 2001, and the group was the first to demonstrate soy-based foam that met all the requirements for automotive seating. Today, Ford is already using renewable nanomaterials in production vehicles, and is committed to expanding its applications.

To learn more, Paper360° spoke with Alper Kiziltas, Ph.D., a lead research scientist with the Sustainability and Emerging Materials Research group at Ford and the Opening Keynote Speaker at TAPPI’s 2018 International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Materials. Dr. Kiziltas’ work has focused on sustainable materials such as bio-based and recycled resins, natural fiber composites, and nanofillers-reinforced foams and composites. He is a graduate of the University of Maine, where he received his Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the School of Forest Resources. The full interview will appear in the May/June issue of Paper360°. Here is a sneak peek:

 

 

Dr. Kiziltas: Ford currently has eight renewable materials in production vehicles, including soy oil-based polyol, cellulose, wheat straw, rice hulls, castor oil-based polyol, wood, kenaf, and coconut fibers. Ford scientists are continuing to search for innovative and creative sustainable technologies that can reduce our dependence on petroleum. 

 

P360: You’ll be the Opening Joint Keynote Speaker for TAPPI’s International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Materials. What will attendees learn from your presentation?

 

Dr. Kiziltas: I really want to deliver the message from the automotive industry that we have a huge interest in nanocellulose materials. I want to show how we are using nanocellulose materials—or how we are imagining we can use nanocellulose materials—for our applications, and I want to share our challenges with nanocellulose materials. Maybe we can get some help from academia and other industries to help us solve certain problems. We can be very successful if we work together, and I believe we can solve most of these problems efficiently. 

 

Hear Dr. Kiziltas’ keynote presentation and learn more about renewable nanomaterials at TAPPI Nano 2018. Early-bird discount registration ends May 10, 2018.