Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd. (TYO:7282) has developed a cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-reinforced plastic in which the compounding design and kneading technology of the material have been improved to boost its impact resistance to a level that allows it to be used in automotive parts. Using CNF can reduce the weight of automotive parts by 10–20 percent. CNF is one-fifth the weight of steel but five times stronger. When used as a reinforcing material in plastic or rubber, products can be made thinner and foam molding can be facilitated, leading to weight reduction. In the case of automobiles, it also contributes to reducing CO2 emissions while driving. In addition, when the material is reused after vehicles are scrapped, CNF-reinforced plastic can be recycled into auto parts because its strength does not deteriorate easily when heated and melted. Furthermore, when the material is incinerated, the total amount of CO2 does not increase; only the amount of CO2 absorbed by the plant during its growth is generated.
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