Moscow, 16 October 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce the 2008 year results of the Global Technology and Innovation Research Project, a long-term programme designed to involve leading universities and research centres in the identification of innovative and sustainable applications for aluminium products.љ A joint committee comprising of UC RUSAL, the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) and Professor Thomas Graedel from the Yale University, as the independent expert, has selected three of the most promising research projects to receive funding to explore and test creative ideas in 2009.љљ


The key objective of the three year long Global Technology and Innovation Research Project is to encourage greater use of sustainable aluminium products globally, through the application of advanced technologies and innovations. In June 2008, UC RUSAL and IAI issued a tender to the world’s leading universities and research centres, asking them to submit innovative ideas for new applications of aluminium in transportation, the main research topic for 2008. Today, transportation is the primary source of green gas emissions on our planet, accounting for 19% of all emissions. One kilogram of aluminium used in vehicles, as a replacement for other heavier metals, reduces green gas emissions by 20 kilograms through the life cycle of a vehicle. According to International Aluminum Institute, using light aluminium to reduce a car’s weight by 100 kg saves 0.6 litres of gasoline per 100 km.


The tender was sent to over 100 universities in 15 counties. Over 30 of the most promising proposals from the world’s leading universities and research centres in America, Asia, Australia, Europe and Russia were selected for further examination. Out of these projects, three were selected that best met the project criteria to deliver the broadest potential utilisation for aluminium’s unique features including its environmental benefits, energy efficiency, economical use of resources, recycling capabilities, and other advantages.


Projects selected as winners in 2008:


Aluminium for Hydrogen storage in Transport - Curtin University, Australia

The objective of the Curtin University project is to undertake the research required for aluminium to be used as a hydrogen storage material. If successful, one of the biggest drawbacks to implementing the “hydrogen economy” will be solved. Hydrogen is promising to replace fossil fuels as the fuel of the 21st century. Aluminium, given its low weight, high volumetric density, abundance and present production rate is the only potential hydrogen storage material capable of satisfying the current and future ground transport needs of the planet.љ Preliminary experiments carried out by the research team at Curtin University have shown that AlH3 nanoparticles encased in a salt can be synthesised using the mechanochemical technique and further research is ongoing to optimise this method. Researchers within the team have recently discovered a method for washing the salt so that pure alane nanoparticles remain. Further research is required to optimise this method for optimum hydrogen storage with the aim of producing an off-board and on-board hydrogen storage material. The practical use of the proposed technology will enable the development of hydrogen fuelled cars, which will reduce transport impacts on the environment and contribute to mitigating the risk of climate change. The research will take three years. UC RUSAL’s contribution to the project is USD 180,000.


New cost-effective aluminium alloy for the automotive industry - Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys, Russia.

Development of a high-tech and thermally stable wrought aluminium alloy based on the Al-Cu-Mn-Zr system is proposed by the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys. The industrial use of the proposed alloy in transport vehicles and cargo transporters, instead of the currently popularly used 6xxx series alloys, will provide higher productivity due to the reduction of the process cycle used in production of wrought semi-finished products for automotives. Today, most of the aluminium products and parts used in the automotive industry use aluminium alloy from the 6xxx series, which requires a complicated and energy-intensive preparation process. The proposed alloy will not need the homogenization (for ingots) process and the thermal hardening (semi-finished products) process, thus providing significant energy savings and enabling reductions in harmful emissions during the production of aluminium products and applications for the automotive industry. The research will take two years with an estimated project budget of USD 160,000.


Woven structures from aluminium fibres - Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University, Russia.

The project will research the development of technology for creating 3D 'knitted' composite structures based on aluminium fibre. The technology will enable 3D part structures to be created by interweaving aluminium fibres. In contrast to carbon composites, which are used today, the proposed technology will use metal instead. It will enable alloys to significantly increase shear resistance and reduces the overall structural weight of parts used in the automotive industry. The energy required for producing the proposed metal composite is ten times less than that of an item produced using the traditional methods. This is due to the fact that energy is spent on the manipulation of metal instead of melting. The proposed technology will enable the manufacture of defect-free, strong, and light metal composite structures needed in transport vehicles, thus providing fuel economy and reducing green gas emissions. The research will take three years with an overall budget of USD 500,000.


The financing will be provided in 2009. UC RUSAL expects to receive first prototypes during the next two years.љ


Commenting on the project, Mr. Artem Volynets, Director, UC RUSAL Corporate Strategy said: “We are looking forward to seeing the tangible results from these sponsored research projects for the entire industry.љ UC RUSAL believes in the tremendous potential of the proposed innovations and practical applications that will be developed. These projects are important as they help to uncover the huge environmental potential of the metal and will drive the sustainable growth of the aluminium industry. This initiative is part of the company’s global strategy aimed at boosting its R&D potential by enhancing technologies and products, which also includes development of joint R&D centres with our clients and partners. All these efforts are aimed at achieving one goal, which is to better understand this unique metal. Aluminium is a true metal of the 21st century – light and environmental friendly.”љ


Commenting on the project, Professor Gradel said: “The Global Technology and Innovation Research Project initiative to support cutting-edge research projects is a significant contribution to global R&D and to the sustainable growth and development of industry. I hope that the initiative will bring new innovative ideas, stimulate creative minds and add value to our society. Aluminium is a unique metal, which possesses many opportunities for making our world a better place to live in.љ It is the goal of this initiative to explore its full and as yet unrealized potential.”


International Aluminium Institute (IAI) and Thomas Graedel from the Yale University, are part of the selection committee.љ UC RUSAL is the sponsor of the programme. The company is planning to award over USD 2 million in the form of grants to the selected projects in the next three years. In 2009, building and construction will be the project topic while in 2010, the research focus will be packaging.