The inorganic fullerenes are to be incorporated into three product families:
- Hard layers: in which fullerenes display greater thermal stability than the bisulphates in their conventional state.
- Polymeric layers and paints: products in which it is thought that the addition of fullerenes will increase "wetability" and, thereby, enable the rapid evacuation of the surface-deposited water (this is of particular interest in aeronautics as the rapid removal of water minimises the negative effects of ice on the moving control structures).
- Lubricants (oils and fats): with the aim of reducing the coefficient of friction (there are already references in the literature that they are highly efficient in this function) and increase load resistance capacity.
The consortium is made up of Ion Bond, Microcoat, Fuchs Petrolub, Spolchemie, Nanomaterials, Renault, EADS, Rolls-Royce and Goodrich, amongst others. Also participating is the Institute of Materials Sciences of the National Council for Scientific Research and Fatronik Technological Centre. The Basque Technological Centre TEKNIKER is taking part as co-ordinator in a project that involves 31 bodies from 13 different countries.
According to the dates established, this large-scale integrated project will start its activities in March 2004 and conclude in September 2008.