October 10, 2013
Pioneering technology developed by AkzoNobel's Sikkens paint brand has helped
power the Dutch Nuna7 solar vehicle to victory in this year's World Solar
Challenge.
Staged between Darwin and Adelaide in Australia, the 3,000km race - which began
on Sunday - has been won by the Nuon Solar Team from Delft University of
Technology (TU Delft) in The Netherlands in a time of just over 33 hours. Their
average speed was 90.71kph.
Key to its success was the use of an ultra-light water-based composite pinhole
filler (Aerowave 2501) and an aerodynamic Sikkens coatings system which reduced
wind drag. The triumph comes just weeks after the Dutch VeloX3 recumbent bike -
also coated by Sikkens - broke the world record for a human-powered vehicle.
"We're delighted that our long-standing partnership with the students from Delft
has produced another magnificent result and we congratulate the team for this
fantastic achievement," said Klaas Kruithof, Director of Research, Development
and Innovation for AkzoNobel's Performance Coatings activities. "It's a great
example of how we work closely with industrial customers to develop technically
advanced coatings that deliver outstanding performance."
Added John Grevers, AkzoNobel's Technical Coordinator for Benelux: "The work we
have been doing with both the Nuna7 and VeloX3 teams is about more than simply
sharing knowledge and expertise. It's also about recognizing and believing in
young talent, driving innovation and taking a fresh look at scientific
challenges to find solutions together."
This year's race represented the fourth time that Sikkens technicians have
worked with the Delft team on the Nuna project. The main addition for 2013 was
the new water-based pinhole filler, which was originally developed for use on
aircraft. It was combined with an aerodynamically advanced Sikkens coatings
system to give the vehicle the best possible chance of finishing first. Which it
duly did, 100km ahead of the team in second.
"AkzoNobel and Sikkens played a vital role in helping us to win the race,"
commented Leslie Nooteboom, driver of TU Delft's Nuon Solar Team. "Each year we
have made improvements on weight reduction and aerodynamics which are so
important to the competition. The new pinhole filler gave us an even smoother
and lighter finish and we have now confirmed its effectiveness by crossing the
finish line first."
Both the Nuna7 system and the one used on Velox3 were developed by AkzoNobel and
Sikkens as a result of the expertise gained in Formula 1 through the company's
long-term partnership with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 team. As well as
offering advanced aerodynamics and lighter weight, they also provide the
durability needed to deliver high performance in extreme environments.
Launched in 1987, the World Solar Challenge is designed to showcase the
development of advanced automotive technology and promote alternatives to
conventional vehicle engines.
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AkzoNobel is a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer
of specialty chemicals. We supply industries and consumers worldwide with
innovative products and are passionate about developing sustainable answers for
our customers. Our portfolio includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens,
International and Eka. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we are
consistently ranked as one of the leaders in the area of sustainability. With
operations in more than 80 countries, our 50,000 people around the world are
committed to delivering leading products and technologies to meet the growing
demands of our fast-changing world.
Not for publication - for more information
Corporate Media Relations
Tel. +31 20 502 78 33
Contact: Kirstin Steffen
AkzoNobel news release Nuna7:
http://hugin.info/130660/R/1734731/581098.pdf
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Source: Akzo Nobel NV via Thomson Reuters ONE
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