The sustainability has come to the fore in the automobile industry. We are not only talking about the transition to the electric car, but also about the reduction of emissions in all the processes associated with the manufacture of vehicles. Internal combustion cars and their engines are no strangers to this transformation, but they can also be manufactured in a more sustainable way. Although much of its parts are metal and plastic, Yamaha is experimenting with scrap woodwith which you will replace plastic parts.
It is impossible to replace the metal of an engine block, pistons or valves. But in a modern engine, the rocker cover is made of thermoplastic, like the impellers of the water pump, the tensioners of a distribution chain or the intake manifolds. What Yamaha proposes is to replace some plastic components with a new material called CNF (Cellulose Nano Fiber), made from wood. The material is an “alloy” of cellulose fibers and plastics known as polypropylene.
Yamaha is looking at the durability and strength of the material, which is 25% lighter than equivalent plastic.
The wood used has already captured carbon dioxide during its plant life, and by-products of industrial processes or wood scraps can be used to make CNF. Among the advantages of this material is its high recyclability and up to 25% less weight to that of the synthetic resins currently used in engines. Yamaha is not going to use CNF to make cylinder heads or exhausts – logically – but think of a thermostat housing, a rocker cover or even timing pulleys.
The reduction of emissions is not the only benefit of using CNF, but also a significant cost savings in raw materials of increasing price. The material is currently being developed and its first commercial applications will arrive in 2024. And in any case, its commercial introduction will be limited at launch: they will use it in parts for jet skis and marine engines. However, Yamaha’s ambitions are important with this material. They intend to use it to build motorcycle parts and other products.
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