Asst. Prof. Dr. Ercüment ÖZTÜRK, a faculty member of our department, is taking part in a significant university-industry collaboration project set to make a major impact in the field of sustainable technologies.

Conducted in partnership with Karadeniz Technical University (KTU), Bursa Technical University, and Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, the project involves developing high value-added composite materials for the automotive sector by utilizing hemp waste, boron, and zeolite minerals.

Domestic and Eco-Friendly Transformation in Vehicle Fuel Systems

In the project titled "Development and Production of Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Fuel System Components for Vehicles Using Biochar," hemp stalks—classified as agricultural waste—are converted into activated carbon through specialized processes. The 10-person academic team, including Dr. ÖZTÜRK from our department, aims to utilize this resulting hybrid composite material in the production of critical components such as vehicle fuel tanks, fuel lines, and pumps.

Lighter and Safer Vehicles

Supported within the scope of the TÜBİTAK University-Industry Cooperation Support Program, the project aims to achieve the following key benefits upon successful completion:

• Lightweight Design: Vehicle weight will be reduced, resulting in fuel savings and decreased carbon emissions.

• Safety: Thanks to the electrical conductivity of the developed material, the risk of static electricity accumulation in fuel systems will be minimized.

• Durability: Components will be produced that are significantly more resistant to heat and thermal degradation compared to existing plastics.

We congratulate Asst. Prof. Dr. Ercüment ÖZTÜRK and the entire project team for their efforts in this study, which is scheduled to advance to prototype production next year, and we wish them continued success.