The global automotive industry has witnessed major developments and innovations in terms of design, technology, and manufacturing of vehicles over the past 50 years.
As the consumer’s demand for more affordable and efficient products increased over the years, the industry leaders made improvements with the development of new materials and their associated manufacturing processes.
One of the key strategies utilized to satisfy these consumer demands is to make automobiles lighter. A systems-engineering design optimization and iteration process that integrates material properties and manufacturing processes to meet product requirements at the lowest mass and/or cost is necessary to maximize the weight reduction (i.e., minimize vehicle weight). This goal is achieved with the application of advanced fibers and composites, such as thermoplastic composites, advanced high-strength steels, aluminum, magnesium alloys, and carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, for making lightweight vehicles.
Importance of Lightweight Materials in the Automotive Industry
Currently, the heavy weight of vehicles is proving to be one of the major roadblocks in the commercialization of electric vehicles across the globe. Therefore, for the automotive industry, automotive OEMs, and tier-1 component suppliers, reducing the weight of cars and other vehicles to ensure better fuel efficiency and general performance has been a top priority.
It has been proven that a 10% decrease in vehicle weight typically results in an 8% increase in fuel efficiency. Hence, automotive manufacturers have been exploring alternatives to ferrous materials to reduce the weight of automotive vehicles.
For instance, the automotive sector is increasingly using thermoplastic composite materials for lightweight applications, such as organosheet and semi-finished thermoplastic UD-tape lamination, which help to increase fuel efficiency.
By substituting organosheet and semi-finished thermoplastic UD-tape lamination for aluminum and steel, automotive manufacturers have made a wise choice for applications such as the chassis, side beams, front beams, door module carriers, wheels, underbody panels, and seats.
The majority of structural and semi-structural auto parts are made of steel and aluminum because they are inexpensive; however, due to their corrosive properties and hefty weight, these materials perform below standard. On the other hand, vehicles can benefit greatly from the strength, durability, lightweight, and fuel efficiency of the organosheet and semi-finished thermoplastic UD-tape laminates.
The automobile industry is embracing organosheet semi-finished thermoplastic UD-tape laminate more frequently because it offers inexpensive structure customization choices for a variety of products.
Owing to various benefits, the global organosheet and semi-finished thermoplastic UD-tape laminate market is expected to grow significantly.
According to the BIS research report, the global organosheet and semi-finished thermoplastic UD-tape laminate market was valued at $596.8 million in 2021 and is projected to reach $1.4 billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 10.92% during 2022-2031.
Types of Thermoplastic Composite Materials for Automotive Applications
Thermoplastic composites are incredibly ductile and repairable even after being put into operation. They can be recycled and remolded, and they have good strength and great hardness. Thermoplastic composites are appropriate raw materials for automobile components due to these features.
A few of the thermoplastic composite materials used in automotive applications have been discussed further in the article:
1. Glass Fiber: Glass fiber is a substance made up of multiple extremely fine glass strands. Due to its low price and availability, it is utilized to produce organosheet and semi-finished thermoplastic UD-tape laminate. However, it also has drawbacks, such as being more fragile and less resistant to abrasion than other fibers like carbon and aramid fiber.
2. Carbon Fiber: Carbon atoms make up most carbon fibers, which have a diameter of 5 to 10 micrometers. These are extremely stiff, strong in tensile tests, light in weight, chemically resistant, high temperature tolerant, and thermally stable materials.
These characteristics have made carbon fibers particularly practical for use in the production of automobiles. In contrast to fibers like glass fibers, carbon fibers are relatively expensive.
To create carbon fiber, carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are parallel to the fiber's long axis because this orientation results in a fiber with a high strength-to-volume ratio.
Typically, carbon fibers are used in composites along with other materials. It transforms into a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer after being infiltrated with a plastic resin and baked. This polymer has a very high strength-to-weight ratio and is incredibly stiff and slightly brittle.
To create reinforced carbon-carbon composites, carbon fibers are also combined with other substances like graphite. These composite materials can withstand a lot of heat.
3. Polypropylene: A crystalline thermoplastic known as polypropylene is created by multiplying propylene monomer units. It is one of the thermoplastics that is most frequently utilized in the production of semi-finished thermoplastic UD-tape laminate and organosheet.
Polypropylene is a non-polar, partly crystalline member of the polyolefin family. It is similar to polyethylene in terms of characteristics but a little bit harder and more heat resistant. It is a white, strong mechanical material with a high level of chemical resistance.
For the manufacturing process, polypropylene is most frequently combined with glass fibers. Organosheet made of polypropylene and semi-finished thermoplastic UD-tape laminate goods is a common choice for automotive applications since polypropylene is a relatively affordable and adaptable material.
4. Polyamide: Polyamide is a polymer where amide groups are used to link the replication units of the molecule. The chemical formula for amide groups is CO-NH. They can be created by the polymerization of amino acids or amino acid derivatives, or they can be created by the reaction between an amine (NH2) group and a carboxyl (CO2H) group.
With its high tensile modulus, minimal water absorption, quick processability, and low density, polyamide is the best solution. Due to these special qualities, polyamide finds use in a variety of sectors, including the automotive, medical, aerospace and defense, and sports and leisure industries.
5. Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS): An organic polymer made up of aromatic rings connected by sulfides is called polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). Polyphenylene sulfide is the precursor to a conductive polymer belonging to the class of semi-flexible rod polymers and is today's high-performance thermoplastic engineering plastic. It can be precisely machined, molded, or extruded.
Conclusion
In order to accommodate more sophisticated pollution control systems, safety equipment, and integrated electrical systems, automobiles must use lightweight structural materials. Although lightweight materials can be used in any vehicle, they are particularly crucial for electric, plug-in hybrid, and hybrid vehicles.
To reduce their cost, improve their capacity for recycling, enable their integration into cars, and maximize their fuel efficiency, research and development into lightweight materials are crucial.
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