BRAND-NEW
Illini Solar Car Scores Great Placement Thanks to AERO Sustainable Material Technology The Illini Solar Car team managed to obtain a great placement at the American Solar Challenge thanks to AERO’s innovative film-based coating technology.
A
ERO Sustainable Material Technology’s partnership with the Illini
marine, motorsports, wind energy, and architectural industries. In
Solar Car program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
such sectors, where enhancements in durability, aesthetic value, and
has helped catapult the Illini Solar Car team to success in the
environmental sustainability are all competitive differentiators, AERO is
American Solar Challenge.
paving the way by offering a material finish which compromises neither
AERO’s solution is a film-based coating technology composed of an
product nor planet. Moreover, the Illini Solar Car sponsorship reflects
ultra-durable, self-healing urethane film, colour, and adhesive, in a
the company’s dedication to environmental sustainability and “paying it
single-stage, which makes it an easy to apply, 100% recyclable material.
forward” to future chemists and engineers.
“As a result of AERO’s contributions, our team had the best finish ever in
“We were excited to work on Brizo with the Illini team for the American
this summer’s American Solar Challenge with our SOV car Brizo finishing
Solar Challenge” said Jim McGuire, CEO of AERO Sustainable Material
3rd at the track qualifier race and 4th during the main road race,” said
Technology, Inc. “AERO lives at the crossroads of environmental
Hongbo Yuan, mechanical lead on Illini Solar Car. “Besides AERO allowing
sustainability and performance, without compromise on either attribute.
us to ’dress up‘ our car, the durable film safeguarded the carbon fiber
The team both developed and successfully demonstrated the capability
body of the car from degradation. The AERO lightweight film allowed
of sustainable performance, while also completing their university
us to coat and decorate the car without heavy spray paint, and the film
studies! This kind of future-forward thinking in environmentally
itself was much easier to apply compared to spray painting. With AERO’s
sustainable products is exactly what drives AERO, so we’re extremely
support, we are optimistic for the future as we continue toward our
enthusiastic for what the future generation will bring this industry.”
goal of becoming a world-renowned team whilst forwarding progress in sustainable energy.”
For further information: www.sustainablematerialtechnology.com
AERO’s coatings technology finds wide application in the automotive,
and www.illinisolarcar.com
© AERO
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N. 73 - JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
