DuPont invests in research for the automotive industry

Jeffrey Sternberg has been named DuPont global automotive technology director. In this role, he is charged to bring the breadth of DuPont advanced materials as well as renewably sourced materials and fuels to the auto industry as it continues to develop low emission, fuel efficient vehicles that are safe, affordable and fun to drive. In this direction should be one of the most recent developments of the company, Vizilon, a developmental thermoplastic composite technology, for structural or load-bearing components, such as seat structures, lift-gates, cross members, bumper beams and suspension systems. With PSA Peugeot Citroen, the developmental technology a side impact beam showed a 40 percent weight reduction compared to ultra-high strength (UHSS) steel, while passing PSA Peugeot Citroën’s crash test. DuPont also strengthened its alignment between its Performance Materials business, which includes plastics and elastomers, and its Industrial Biosciences business with a focus on adding to its broad portfolio of renewably sourced materials. Additionally, DuPont’s new cellulosic biorefinery in Iowa, which will use corn stover as feedstock, is on track to start up in the second half of 2014 These advances are built on a portfolio of more than 100 product families for the automotive industry. Sternberg joined DuPont in 1988 as a synthesis chemist for Crop Protection business unit. He held several roles there before advancing to management. In 2006, he joined Central Research & Development, Materials Science and Engineering, where he led a group focused on developing materials solutions for photovoltaics that improve conversion efficiency, lower cost and extend system lifetime.