Brazil’s white gold: Randoncorp’s research & development into niobium nanoparticles in steel alloys
By Bradley Osborne – 14th November 2024
At IAA Transportation 2024, held between 17-22 September in Hanover, Germany, Brazilian trailer and components firm Randoncorp presented products from its auto parts brands, including wheel-end components from Castertech, brake systems from Master Freios (a joint venture with Cummins), and axles, suspensions, and e-mobility products from Suspensys. However, the group’s most interesting showcase was invisible to the naked eye. In its axle products lay hidden a secret ingredient measurable only on the nanoscale: a niobium compound, which has the power to augment the mechanical properties of steel while considerably reducing its weight. It also improves the performance of other materials, enabling them to achieve their full potential.
