The presence of niobium in the steel that makes up vehicle structures makes them ultra resistant, with a longer useful life and lighter

Countries all over the world have been seeking greater sustainability, and therefore, the automotive industry has been undergoing a major transformation, with an increasing demand for less polluting vehicles, and niobium, a mineral so abundant in Brazil, has a direct participation in this transition, since the presence of niobium in the steel that makes up the structure of the car, gives more resistance to the material, in addition to weight reduction and lower consumption of raw materials, consequently, reduces fuel consumption (in vehicles with combustion engines) and energy (in electric vehicles), if becoming a “wildcard” for companies in the sector.

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Brazil is a pioneer in scientific and technological development around niobium, also taking the lead in another topic: the electrification of vehicles. “By producing a thinner structure, the vehicle becomes lighter. Being lighter, it will need less energy to move. The effect is straightforward: I'll get lower fuel consumption, whatever. There are a number of other developments: lower consumption of raw materials, for example. This facilitates logistical aspects, and there is a smaller environmental effect as well, because I will produce less of that material. So, it favors the whole chain. Yes, we can say that niobium is a wild card”, says Thompson Reis, coordinator of research, development and innovation at CIT (Innovation and Technology Center) of Senai-FIEMG (Federation of Industries of the State of Minas Gerais).

Niobium is capable of fully recharging an electric car battery in less than ten minutes

CBMM has been exploring the potential of niobium with partners around the world for the generation of lithium-ion batteries, safer, with ultra-fast charging and greater stability, since metal plays an important role in battery autonomy, making it possible to recharge completely in less than ten minutes. The expectation is that they will be commercially available from 2023.

“Another advantage of niobium is that it can be used as a stabilization additive. Battery technologies around the world are moving towards higher nickel grades. It's very good from the point of view of cost, energy and range (your car will travel longer and longer distances), but battery safety suffers. When you put a little bit of niobium in the composition, it stabilizes these structures. So, niobium, in addition to bringing the possibility of ultra-fast batteries to the market, also makes high-nickel technology possible”, said Rogério Ribas, manager of the battery segment at CBMM.

The effects of these partnerships benefit not only the automotive industry: niobium batteries are present in scooters, bicycles and electric tricycles in Asian countries. In other words, micromobility is already realizing the advantages of niobium.

In addition, niobium helps to increase the lifespan of batteries in cars. For example, a conventional battery supports up to 2.000 cycles — or 2.000 complete recharges. Those using niobium withstand up to 10 cycles. To give you an idea, there is already demand for the reuse of this equipment by the energy sector, for example.

The presence of niobium in the steel that makes up vehicle structures makes them ultra resistant, with a longer useful life, lighter, and consequently, vehicles with combustion engines consume less fuel

CBMM also entered into a partnership with Giaffone Racing, in which motorsport also gains a place in the niobium revolution, as the presence of niobium in steel, which makes up the structure of vehicles used in off road competitions, makes the structures ultra-resistant, leaving vehicles up to 10% lighter than others in the category, being able to reach higher speeds in less time, and therefore consume less fuel and have components with a longer useful life.

The great example of this is the Exo Nb — a Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs), produced in Brazil with niobium technology, in its hybrid version (electric motor and ethanol fuel), it will represent the niobium revolution in the biggest rally in the Americas, Sertões 2021, which will be held between August 12th and 22nd, starting at Pipa beach, in Rio Grande do Norte.

Research with competition vehicles provided, for example, the development of brake discs containing niobium for use in passenger cars. The tests are promising, according to specialists, but it will take some time to reach effective results because the cars that circulate on the streets have very different characteristics from those used in races. In other words, the structure of the material needs to be different.

“Why did we choose to be in motorsport, to present niobium solutions in motorsport? It is because it is an extremely aggressive environment, it is an environment that is out of the ordinary for conventional use. So we manage to validate a concept in a stage of a competition like Sertões, Stock Car. I leave the possibility of improvements in terms of weight to the designer, and we test this in an aggressive environment. The response is quick”, explained Erico França, market development analyst at CBMM. “Brake disc, exhaust system, solid suspension bar, steering rod, in all of this we can offer a solution containing niobium.”

The participation of this abundant metal in Brazil, in technologies, generates direct and indirect effects on people's lives

All these transformations that are being promoted by the industry — and which have an important participation of niobium technologies — generate direct and indirect effects on people's lives. Either because new demands will arise or because air pollution and noise will decrease considerably over the years.

The technological resources for a transition that leads to more sustainable means are available and are advancing with each passing day, as the niobium revolution shows us. While we are witnessing the growth in the presence of hybrid or fully electric vehicles, the industry is already planning the next steps.

This future will inevitably lead us to autonomous vehicles, which will be fascinating, not only because they make control by a human unnecessary, but because, by then, we will have an even safer and lighter structure, through steel with the addition of niobium, and even better batteries that will give power and autonomy to more powerful electric motors. This shows the niobium revolution has only just begun, and will have no end.

por- JP