2020 Virtual undergraduate Research symposium
Next Generation Aluminum Wiring for Future Electric Automobiles
PROJECT NUMBER: 73
AUTHOR: Chad Haunschild, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering | MENTOR: Terry Lowe, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
ABSTRACT
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The goal of this project is to develop nanostructured variants of aluminum that have electrical conductivity and strength high enough to enable nano-aluminum wires to replace copper wires in future automobiles. This project is interesting because it creates a massive shift in the automobile industry, helping to usher in the era of all electric vehicles. Nanostructured aluminum wires can reduces the weight, environmental impact, and cost of automobiles while increasing fuel efficiency. Today every car has over 1 mile of wiring, having a weight on the order of 100 pounds. Cars of the future with nanostructured aluminum will have less than half the weight of conductors. Also, the cost per amp delivered by automobile wiring is at least 6 times less for aluminum compared to copper.
VISUAL PRESENTATION
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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
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Chad Haunschild is a graduating senior Metallurgical and Materials Engineering student and has participated in Dr. Terry Lowe’s Transdiciplinary Nanostructured Materials Research Team for more than two years. Chad has continued the Nanostructured Aluminum project for two years through the MURF program, furthering background properties and features classification knowledge of these materials for the TNMRT teams’ several industry sponsors. Chad has been grateful for the opportunity to contribute under the excellent leadership of the TNMRT staff and for the many opportunities to apply in class to memorable settings.
This is really exciting! Can only hope that it leads to industrial applications sooner rather than later.