Iskra ISD developing innovative aluminium QC alloy

As first in the world, Iskra ISD has succeeded in creating a revolutionary alloy that combines the lightweight properties of aluminium with the strength of soft steel. It's a game-changer for industries that require both strength and light weight. The secret to the alloy's exceptional durability lies in its quasicrystalline structure, from which the alloy derives its name – QC. Such structures are also highly resistant to thermal and mechanical stress, making them useful in a variety of industrial applications.

In response to growing pressure to decrease aluminium alloy weight, the CastQC project led by Iskra ISD and consortium partners (Kolektor Mobility, THE-CUT, Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG), University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Materials and Metallurgy, Zavod 404) was launched to produce the novel QC Alloy, which would directly contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions by a whole 20% over the entire aluminium production chain.

Some essential facts:

• A 10% reduction in the weight of an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle results in a 6–8% reduction in fuel consumption.
• Reducing the vehicle’s weight by 100 kg reduces fuel consumption by 0.3 to 0.5 L/100 km.
• QC Alloy enables up to a 30% reduction in weight compared to existing aluminium alloys. That’s good news for the environment and helps optimize costs.

Naturally, such innovations are well deserving of recognition, and the QC Alloy by Iskra ISD did just that, with an Innovation Award at the Innovation Challenge 2023 organized by the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce.