... As Dow, Ford Join For Composites

Ford Motor Co. and Dow Chemical are collaborating on ways to incorporate carbon fiber composites in mass production vehicles. The companies say they will focus on establishing an economic source of auto-grade carbon fiber and on researching ways to manufacture composite components at large scale. Dow says the work will draw on its previous efforts with Turkish carbon fiber maker Aksa and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Florian Schattenmann, director of R&D at Dow Automotive Systems, calls the partnership “a logical next step to progress already achieved through the use of lightweight, high-strength polymers.”