Lightweight construction

Conventional design materials currently used in aeronautical applications, the automotive industry, and machinery increasingly are reaching the limits of passive structures. Lightweight construction concepts on the basis of CNT offer enormous potential, including for use with extraordinary structural stresses. As high-strength, ultra-light materials used for lower-weight designs of cars and aircrafts, they make an important contribution to higher energy and resource efficiency and save substantial amounts of fuel.

However, lightweight construction also benefits other industries and applications. CNT-based particle foams offer improved traffic security, while specialty concrete offers additional design options and improved earthquake protection.

The five projects associated with the area of lightweight construction pursue the goal of developing lightweight plastic and composite materials, ultra high-strength concrete, and mechanically high-resilient metals.