VOA标准英语2011--Automakers Turn Agro-Waste into Car Part

Scientists in Brazil are turning fruit fibers² into car parts. At a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society, the researchers described their work in making the next generation of automotive parts made from natural fibers from bananas, pineapples and other tropical fruits.
The laboratory that Alcides Leao runs at Sao Paulo State University sees value in such agro-waste waste. "We extract the fibers from the leaves or trunk, and then we separate the cellulose from the other plant components³. So basically cellulose is the key raw material."
This cellulose mixture is used as a bio-based, not petroleum-based plastic for car parts. While the idea has been around since the early 1990s and championed by Toyota, what's new in the Sao Paulo lab is the scale. Leaves and stems of bananas, pineapples and other fruit with tough skins are put into a device similar to a pressure cooker.
Leao says chemicals are added and the result is a fine material that resembles talcum powder. "Basically we are using a very simple process similar to pulp⁴ and paper where we are able to go over and over in several cycles. We are able to move from micro-scale to nano-scale" or down to the molecular⁵ level.
It is costly⁶ - less than one-half kilo of nano-cellulose is needed to produce 45 kilos of super-strong light weight plastic material. However, the nano-cellulose-reinforced plastic is 30 percent lighter⁷ and as much as four times stronger than petroleum-based plastic and easily matches carbon fiber¹ and fiberglass.
Leao says it makes the car more durable⁸, fuel efficient and eco-friendly. "Before it was 50 percent non-biodegradable, non-renewable, that was the plastic based on oil and now we end up with 100 percent bio-degradable, bio-renewable material."
The nano-reinforced plastics have other advantages over conventional plastics including greater resistance to damage from heat, water and spilled gasoline. Leao expects nano-fiber- reinforced car parts to reach the market within two years. He also predicts the product could someday replace steel and aluminum⁹.

1 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

2 fibers   

光纤( fiber的名词复数 )； （织物的）质地； 纤维，纤维物质

参考例句：

• Thesolution of collagen-PVA was wet spined with the sodium sulfate as coagulant and collagen-PVA composite fibers were prepared. 在此基础上，以硫酸钠为凝固剂，对胶原-PVA共混溶液进行湿法纺丝，制备了胶原-PVA复合纤维。
• Sympathetic fibers are distributed to all regions of the heart. 交感神经纤维分布于心脏的所有部分。

3 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

4 pulp   

n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆

参考例句：

• The pulp of this watermelon is too spongy.这西瓜瓤儿太肉了。
• The company manufactures pulp and paper products.这个公司制造纸浆和纸产品。

5 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

7 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

8 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

9 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。