LONDON – Greenkote Technologies announced it is supporting research work at Cranfield University, with Bentley Motors and bigHead as lead industrial partners. The research will explore new concepts in embedded metallic and carbon fiber composite (CFC) joint design and manufacturing, including potential anti-corrosion treatments for use in automotive applications.

This partnership has the potential to open up new applications for Greenkote technology in the automotive industry. Greenkote’s protective metals coating process is already known as a high-performance, cost-effective process used in the construction industry in applications as demanding as the New Safe Confinement shelter at Chernobyl and in the repairs to London’s famous Cheesgrater building. The technology is one of the greenest processes in the coatings industry.

Commenting on the research, Greenkote Chief Executive Officer Mark Gore said, “Our technology is world leading in the area of corrosion proofing. Now, we are looking to develop Greenkote treatments and solutions that provide bonded and embedded metallic components in automotive applications with superior all-round performance, flexibility and ease of use.”

The Structural Joints work by Cranfield University’s Composites Centre forms part of the CIMComp program, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. In supporting Cranfield’s research, Greenkote aims to develop new standards for corrosion proofing metallic components and fasteners, to facilitate innovative concepts for attaching and joining structures in multi-material automotive applications.

Lawrence Cook, Research Fellow in Composites Manufacturing at Cranfield University, commented, “Greenkote’s technology is ideally suited for evaluation in our metallic and CFC structural joints research, and Greenkote’s wider experience in the coatings sector is a key element in the research. Support from Greenkote strengthens our ability to deliver transformative research, and our work together is already feeding directly into our two-year Innovate UK-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership with bigHead bonding fasteners Ltd. to develop fastening solutions for composite materials, with a focus on automotive applications.

Greenkote provides its coatings solutions through a global network of coating centers and licensees. Plants and licensees are located in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.