Electrified Mobility: DuPont Materials for e-Bikes Bring Sustainable Transportation to Life
An expanded portfolio of material solutions helps remove weight and improve performance in many e-bike components.
Demand for e-bikes has skyrocketed in recent years. Changing demographics, escalating urbanization, and rising interest in outdoor activities have led to a growing demand for sustainability-minded mobility. Many firms and municipalities also now support mobility solutions such as e-bikes to reduce CO 2 emissions from commuters. E-bike riders and manufacturers alike benefit from DuPont Mobility & Materials polymer solutions. The company is translating its expertise in automotive applications to this emerging market with stellar results.
“E-bike manufacturers leverage our experience to achieve goals such as light weighting, parts consolidation, thermal management, chemical resistance, friction reduction, shock reduction, and greater sustainability. It is a fast-growing, fast-moving industry that is ajoy to be involved in,” says Clément Lopez, Application Development Specialist for E-bikes & Robotics at DuPont Mobility & Materials.
In one recent project, designer Didier Biron, founder of Biron-Etudes (Dornes, France), worked with DuPont to build an airless tire concept. Lopez and the team helped to select a specific Hytrel grade (HYT6356) that would provide the correct levels of impact resistance, flex fatigue resistance, high and low temperature performance, and recyclability.
The design incorporates Hytrel flanks on which a rubber tread band is bonded. These flanks were devised as two half shells that could be mounted on standard rims.
Testing by Biron confirmed that the design and material combination could bear the load/ stress and meet the max acceptable (vertical) deformation. Moreover, based on
frontal curb impact tests, the airless tire offers excellent impact resistance.
Biron’s airless tire can significantly reduce maintenance time and cost because it isn’t vulnerable to punctures, and the two-part design enables swift replacement without removing anti-theft screws.
The new airless tire efficiency is 80% that of a conventional tire due to higher rolling resistance. Because it is intended to be used for self-service bike fleets, lower efficiency is acceptable.
E-bike designers and component suppliers rely on the following materials to meet their challenges:
Hytrel TPC-ET: For components requiring excellent flex fatigue, wear, and abrasion resistance, this material is available in VOC-free foamable grades for applications such as saddles, and in rigid grades for components such as airless tires.
Zytel PA: This polyamide reduces weight and replaces metal, while still offering outstanding structural support for frames, rims, forks, pedals, gears, mudguards, and
other electrical and high-temperature applications such as battery enclosures.
Zytel HTN PPA: For structural, ultra-high-temperature applications requiring superior stiffness and stable dimensions, such as batteries and motors, this is the choice. This material is also an excellent electrical insulator.
Zytel LCPA (flexible): Vacuum, pneumatic, and hydraulic components that need excellent thermal, chemical, and hydrolysis resistance are well served by this flexible,
long-chain polyamide.
Crastin PBT: This semi-crystalline polyester powers connectors that need superior flow, halogen-free flame retardancy, hydrolysis resistance, electrical properties, and processability.
Rynite PET: A workhorse polyester, this material has broad applicability for electrical and electronic components such as insulators that need high-temperature resistance.
For additional information about DuPont Mobility & Materials, visit www.dupont.com
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