So what's the next material that's going to replace Carbon Fiber?

I can't believe you have missed the news.......

One word...........unobtainium..........nuff said.

 

hmm, I better buy some stocks.........on...........that...........hehe.

but seriously got any more info on that?

George.

ps: correct me if im wrong, but isnt that a word used for material that cannot be obatained e.i. processed.

 

CF is going to come down in price, slow and steady. I can't wait! Hopefully soon enough that I can have my entire car remade out of it

 

I'm already sporting carbon fiber underwear. Confidence inspiring!

The next thing will be transparent aluminum... I'm not kidding - the stuff exists! I believe 3M has some patents (or maybe DuPont).

 

In Star Wars there was this material call 'transperisteel' which they used for spacecraft and ground vehicle canopies, windows, view ports, etc.

Perhaps it's becoming a reality?

 

Not wanting to put a negative on a good fun thread ... BUT if Bernie has his way we may not see this ground breaking sort of technology coming from F1 anymore

If they start with the standardising of components, then there is no advantage to be gained by making them lighter, stronger, etc. ... thus no fancy research.

I remember reading a few (quite a few) years ago about how Ferrari's brake calipers were rediculously expensive because they were cast (forged?) hollow and filled with some fancy liquid ... which made the caliper ever so slightly more rigid. Way cool technology that may be lost ... soon.

Pete
ps: I think the next technology will be force fields (like in Star wars) then JPM will be able to bump into everybody and make it look like they just lost it ... as his car did not touch ... hahaha.

 

Sure you aren't thinking of transparent aluminum? That has been invented (IIRC), though it was named after the star trek material in homage, not because of its actual attributes.

 

Yes I'm sure.

 

Transparant concrete is a reality. Now how could they use this in F1...?

 

I'm pretty sure it's actually a transparent alumium oxide, basically a ceramic, not a metal. My guess is that ceramic based composites and metal matrix composites (metal with ceramic in it) will start bo show up in racing soon. There are already ceramic based brakes and clutches.

 

SJB509 knows a bit about what's going on now.

I think they will work to reduce downforce so there will still be room for cutting edge developments in F1 - esp in the area of materials.

Reducing the downforce will allow the cars to get close enough to pass.

 

Martian hullmat -- a pressor/reflexor grid controlled by an embedded neural network on a quartz-carbide substrate (a microgravity crystal of silicon carbide and quartz - Si, C, and O). The material actively responds to dynamic stresses.

A bonus is that power transfers through the embedded AI net can act as a semiconductor heat pump to eliminate hot spots -- or even convert heat to electrical power.

But you have to "grow" the stuff in orbit -- the crystals won't form in a gravity field.

And "unobtanium" is the "unobtainium series" on the periodic table -- the elements are "strongium", "lightium", "cheapium", ...



But if F1 is a manufacturer's series, technology transfer from street machines would mean that the next F1 cars will be made of plastic. And will exploit a rules loophole to let them drop the safety requirements (like SUVs).

 

There'll always be further innovations, especially in weight reduction, coming out of Formula One.

Yes, new regulations are alwasy trying to keep the cars heavier (and therefore slower around the track), but that doesn't mean components of the cars can't or won't be made lighter.

Why, you ask? What's the point? Increasing control over weight distribution. If the FIA ordains that the car needs to weigh so much, well you could use heavy parts and construction materials and it'll tip the scales according to regs. But if you design and build the car as light as you can, then you can put balast (actual weights on the car) wherever you like. That increases the degree of customization available for each driver, and gives the team increased control over just WHERE the weight goes.

For instance, you could build body panels out of steel, like most regualr cars on the market. But that means that with such heavy sheetmetal covering the top parts of the car, it'll be topheavy with a high center of gravity. It won't handle as tight, accelerate as quick or brake as hard. Makign the body panels out of lightweight materials like aluminum, titanium or carbon fiber means the body itself doesn't weigh as much and you can put the extar weight as required lower on the car to lower the center of gravity, or by the rear (driving) wheels to get better traction.

So they'll always try to make the car lighter.

 

Probably some new kind of fiber, like Metamucil. I mean, it does help you go faster.....

Cheers
Kevin

 

Krell metal !

 

MMCs have been around for a long time. The Plymouth Prowler used MMC brake discs, Ford Police cars have MMC driveshafts, the new Mustang Cobra will have MMC rear brakes, etc. Nothing new. Most automotive MMCs are silicon carbide (up to 24%) in an aluminum matrix. Their shock properties suck compared to other metals and composites, so you won't see MMC wheels (as Airbus had planned for the A380). Now they're scrambling to take weight out.

Carbon nanotubes are all the talk these days. They may work well as a material in certain applications, but probably not in race car parts; they are more like fiberglass chop than unidirectional laminated carbon fibers as a way to impart strength into a composite. Still, my company has a contract from a pretty big electronics concern to grow carbon nanotubes, so I'll keep you posted.

To answer the question: materials are continuously improving. New steel grades and processes are on the horizon that will make steel even better. New BSMI carbon composites are being used in the 7E7 that are even more versatile and stronger for the same weight than before. As long as there are customers and competition, materials will improve. But there's no miracle material on the horizon at the moment (that I know of).

 

Ceramics


and stronger, plastics.

 

The reason ceramics have been discounted for use with F1 or any form of motorracing is because of their failure methods ... ie, total destruction.

Thus we have the situation where MS is on his last lap and a ceramic piston starts breaking ... he won't get more than 50 metres. Now with an alloy piston that piston will probably hold together for many laps, yes the engine would be dying but metals try to hold together, ceramics don't.

Until they solve that you will never see a race engine with ceramic parts ... which is a pity as you would not even need water to cool the engine, etc. ... thus massive power advantages, etc.

Pete

 

It would most likely be banned on some applications, but thats a very interesting point about the active chasis and so forth.

Some years back, we had a whole array of different cars, v8's v10' v12's, tubos, active suspension, active wings.

It getting to the point where technology is advancing at a fast pace and fiding the balance between new technologys and keeping true to the sport is near impossible.

George.

 

Interesting. Heres an article on the transparent aluminum oxide.
http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:dqamcTzQGoMJhysicsweb.org/article/news/8/8/9+transparent+aluminum&hl=en