BASF, research spending on new record

Joint Laboratory of Batteries and Electrochemistry at the Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology opened

08.02.2011: In 2010, BASF has reached a new peak at the expense of
research and development (R & D), which rose to almost € 1.5 billion
(previous year 2009: € 1.4 billion). BASF is set at F & E on
continuity and have increased their commitment even in tough times
continue, says Dr. Andreas Kreimeyer, Member of the Board and
Executive Research Director, Research at the press conference in
Ludwigshafen. "Research and development are the foundations of our
future security. Therefore, BASF is also in the new year 2011,
International Year of Chemistry, increase their R & D spending again,
"said Kreimeyer.

In international and interdisciplinary teams more than 9,600 R & D
employees working in about 3,000 projects in response to the
challenges of the future. "Globally, we will be collaborating with our
partners in industry and academia about 1,900 collaborations. This
international and interdisciplinary know-how Verbund helps us to
quickly bring innovations in the markets. So we have a global
competitive edge, "added the spokesman research.

Important conditions for successful research are the right choice of
strategic research topics, excellent project management and a smoothly
functioning infrastructure. Thus, BASF had made in 2010 to generate
new and improved products and applications that are less than five
years in the market, had sales of € 6 billion. This goal, the company
has more than filled. These include, for example, have the new
herbicide Kixor ®, which develops into a genuine blockbuster, as well
as novel catalysts contributed to the reduction of nitrogen oxides
from the exhaust of diesel vehicles. Looking into the future is so
optimistic: 2015 BASF will achieve 6 to 8 billion € turnover with
innovations.
Innovative solutions for tomorrow's mobility

The chemical industry is an essential contributor to the mobility of
tomorrow. This applies to the traditional combustion engine as well as
hybrid drives and future electric cars. Innovations from the chemical
make energy-efficient and sustainable solutions for plastics and
lightweight thermal management on new fuel additives to materials for
powerful and reliable batteries. "With our research we want to develop
products and technologies, ensuring individual mobility and
flexibility and at the same time protect the environment and climate,"
explains Dr. Andreas Kreimeyer. "Especially with the electric
mobility, we have the opportunity to drive a fundamental change in
technology. We will contribute our expertise in chemistry to help the
electric mobility of a breakthrough. "

In the next five years, the company will invest hundreds of millions
in the subject batteries. This includes the in-house R & D activities
of the company to optimize the lithium-ion technology and the
development of completely new battery concepts and collaborations with
partners, for example in the research network Electrochemistry and
batteries. Part of these expenses is also in the Elyria, Ohio
manufacturing facility under construction for advanced cathode
materials. $ To the new facility with an investment volume of more
than 50 million U.S. from mid-2012 to supply the market with cathode
materials for producing high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Its
construction is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Joint research laboratory at KIT batteries of the future

With the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the company created
in January, a joint laboratory for the development of innovative
battery materials. This "Batteries and Electrochemistry Laboratory"
(BELLA) in Karlsruhe linked the electrochemical know-how of BASF in
the industrial application of the results of basic research of KIT.
The aim of the cooperation is to accelerate the implementation of
research results into products for high-energy battery systems.

The work will focus on increasing the service life of batteries using
materials with high storage capacity and safety of the battery
systems. The partners are to jointly invest in the next five years
about 12 million €. At first, scientists develop projects for example,
ceramic ionic conductor, which can be used as protective layers in
future battery generations.

New 1.9 CDTI with diesel particulate filters for the Vectra and Signum

Opel is on a good way of dealing with failures of the past when it
comes to diesel engines. Moreover, the new 1.9 CDTI Ecotec
four-cylinder engines for the Vectra and the Signum model family
demonstrates the efforts GM's German subsidiary, to be among the
leading diesel engine manufacturers in Europe. Variable multiple
injection of the second generation, variable turbine geometry and a
standard-, maintenance-free diesel particulate filter (DPF) to bring
Opel's new common-rail turbo diesel engines now on the top of the
European competition.

The new 1.9-liter CDTI engines in the Vectra and Signum models are
available in wattages of 88 and 110 kW and also meet the Euro 4
emissions standard. They develop their maximum torque 2000-2750 1/min.
In the 88-kW version of the engine provides up to 280 Newton meters
available, the 110-kW peak model, the maximum torque of 315 Newton
meters. The acceleration from a standstill to 100 km / h takes less
than ten seconds, top speed is 217 km / h. With two motors which is a
newly developed six-speed manual transmission, which was specifically
tailored to the engine characteristics, the power transfer.

The layout of the two 1.9-liter diesel engine is almost identical:
four cylinder, 1910 cm3 displacement, a turbocharger with variable
turbine geometry and intercooler. The most striking difference have
the cylinder heads: During the 88-kW unit has two valves per cylinder,
the 110-kW version equipped with four-valve technology. The so-called
E-Gas, with the two step on the accelerator electronically to the
injection system and gives a more spontaneous response. The Common
Rail system operates at up to 1600 bar injection pressure. Here, a
variable multiple injection reduced before each work cycle fuel
consumption, pollutant emissions and engine noise.

The maintenance-free diesel particulate filter system (DPF) of Opel,
with these engines is celebrating premiere waived entirely on fuel
additives. With the help of a new regeneration process had succeeded
the Opel engineers, fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and performance on
the same level as in the operation to maintain without a filter.
Before making a close-coupled and one underfloor catalytic converter
in combination for effective cleaning of the exhaust.

The new diesel particulate filter consists of a honeycomb-shaped
ceramic solid-state silicon carbide, which is crisscrossed by tiny
channels. The exhaust gas stream passes through the channel walls,
collect on the surface of the carbon black particles. The deposited
particles are burned regularly targeted by multiple injections. These
bring the temperature of the engine exhaust to the combustion process
in the filter for the required ignition temperature of 600 degrees
Celsius. The multi-injection system Injection of the 1.9 CDTI ECOTEC
unit Opel, according to this is in any engine load range, the
necessary flexibility. Therefore, the system does not work only under
full load, but also in the "cold" optimal. Regeneration occurs through
controlled pressure and temperature sensors in the environment of the
DPF unit in discontinuous intervals - ie only if the filter back
pressure created by deposits.

First diesel particulate filter from Rüsselsheim

Shortly after the first German brands BMW and Mercedes diesel
particulate filters have made diesel engines for their prospective
move, even now after the Rüsselsheim. The German GM subsidiary will
also introduce the public at the IAA 2003 in Frankfurt, their first,
newly developed and maintenance-free diesel particulate filter system
(DPF).

It requires no fuel additives and, according to data from Opel also
avoid other drawbacks of previous systems. With the help of a new
regeneration process were fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and power
almost at the same level as in operation without a filter. Mass
production is scheduled for early 2004 in the Vectra and the Signum
line with the new 1.9 CDTI Ecotec engine.

In addition to soot particles are also the levels of hydrocarbon (HC)
and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by the interaction of a
close-effectively reduce pros and an underfloor catalyst. The new
diesel particulate filter consists of a honeycomb-shaped ceramic solid
silicon carbide. It is crossed by microscopic channels. Happens, the
exhaust stream, the channel walls, the carbon black particles collect
on the surface.

To avoid clogging of the filter, which must be burned particles
deposited on time. In the past, the developers decided here often for
the addition of a fuel additive to reduce the ignition temperature. In
this type of regeneration process was initiated. The engineers of the
GM Powertrain and Opel jointly developed diesel particulate filter
technology, but dispenses such additives. To raise the exhaust
temperature of the diesel engine for the combustion process in the
filter to the required ignition temperature of 600 ° C, this system
serve a noble metal coating of the filter substrate and targeted
multiple injections. This requires the injection system to be very
flexible, ideally in each engine load range. The system will
eventually not only work at full capacity, but also in the "cold", is
optimal.

This is the regeneration, adapted to the respective driving behavior
in discontinuous intervals, and the combustion of the soot particles
deposited - ie the injection of fuel - will take place only if a
suitably large back pressure is caused by the loading in the filter.
In the context of the DPF unit contains pressure and temperature
sensors that control the entire process from the driver unnoticed.

Besides the close-coupled "Start-Kat 'of the particle filter is an
oxidation catalyst upstream of the oxidized using the air oxygen
compounds such as HC and CO in the diesel exhaust. The nitrogen oxide
emissions could reduce the Opel engineers according to their own
information through in-engine measures alone under the limits of the
Euro-4 standard. The only mandatory from 2006 for vehicle
registrations standard requires a halving of the current limits for
particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines.

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