| Car materials these days are chosen to reduce | | | | Think again. The latex in rubber degrades quickly |
| weight, save costs and make cars more | | | | in humid conditions, even after the vulcanization |
| environmentally friendly. Steel as a car material | | | | process which makes rubber firmer. Now a |
| today is found only in their frames, and as my | | | | composite of synthetic fibers, steel fiber belts for |
| Saturn dealer advised me, in "the body parts that | | | | improved traction, and rubber are used to make |
| face the sky", such as the car's hood, trunk lid | | | | car tires. |
| and the roof. The balance of the car's body is a | | | | The number one car material for the wheels used |
| composite of fiberglass and polycarbon material, | | | | to be cast iron. Then steel was used, as it rusted |
| which is lightweight and shock-absorbent, too. | | | | much more slowly. Now the preferred car |
| Solid steel and cast iron are no longer the car | | | | material for wheels is cast aluminum, which is |
| materials preferred for car engines any more. | | | | good at resisting moisture and is much lighter in |
| These metals are too valuable and too heavy to | | | | weight than cast iron or steel. |
| use in the engine, which is subject to corrosion, | | | | A recent technological breakthrough in Britain is |
| rust and metal friction at high temperatures. | | | | helping produce car materials to make "shape |
| Aluminum is now the standard car material for | | | | memory" fasteners that will retain their shape and |
| engine blocks in virtually every car made. | | | | release from the car body at a certain |
| Petrochemical engineering is the source of most | | | | temperature. This will allow the cars to be |
| car materials for the interiors of modern cars. | | | | disassembled and recycled very effectively. |
| They represent a triumph over nature as they | | | | These car materials include polymers, plastics and |
| are water-resistant, preventing the growth of | | | | metal alloys. |
| mold and mildew. Polyvinyl chlorides, polypropylene | | | | For the present, the car materials used in the |
| ultra-fine fibers and other synthetic materials | | | | world's most expensive sports cars will include |
| make up the car's interior from the dashboard | | | | natural fibers such as leather for upholstery, and |
| cover to the floor mats. Some manufacturers are | | | | chromium for window and bumper trim. But the |
| using natural fibers such as hemp for lining and | | | | trends towards light weight, recyclability and low |
| cushioning the headliner (where the sun visors are | | | | cost will encourage manufacturers to create new |
| attached). A large part of the car's interior is now | | | | and useful car materials for the inexpensive, |
| lined with sound-absorbing cushions of | | | | fuel-efficient and more earth-friendly cars the rest |
| polypropylene. | | | | of us will drive daily in the foreseeable future. |
| Think the car material in your tires is pure rubber? | | | | |