Lightweight design has been a key criterion in the last decade for automotive engineering growth. Fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) are progressively used in the manufacture of high-volume automobiles. In particular, safety-relevant components such as chassis components and wheels are prospective application fields for different FRPs because their possibilities. The variety of variations of these materials is indeed enormous and is growing. FRPs also provide an additional perspective, as opposed to metallic lightweight materials, to significantly affect the material and component characteristics. Lightweight design generally means weight reduction while keeping sufficient rigidity, and strength. The structural versatility and robustness are significant characteristics for the assessment of the structure’s lifetime in a built lightweight structure. In addition, fatigue design against static and cyclical mechanical loads is also desired.
for crash worthiness application areas or impact energy absorption, special attention is given to the mechanical properties of the polymer composites. In the crash resilience studies of each structure to be studied, the essential parameter is variable energy absorption (ESA; kJ/kg) and decay rates (kJ/s), in order to ensure a stable design capable of protecting passengers.
The structure of composite tubular sections is widely known. Such systems are also used for impact enhancement in the car frame. The influence of crushing speed of the composite tubes energy absorption was studied. The materials tested were composites of graphite fibers/epoxy (Thronal 300/Fiberite 934) and Kevlar/Epoxy (Kevlar fibers/Fiberite 934). The primary goal was to assess the capacity for energy absorption in form of crushing speed. More recently, however, research was presented in optimizing the composite laminate fiber-orientation for impact loaded tubes. The composite was a poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK)-reinforced laminated carbon fiber with a proportion of 61% of the fiber volume.
For energy absorption applications, more advanced composites should be used. The crushing activity of hybrid composite tubes was examined in 2000. Axial crush tests were performed for tubular carbon/epoxy (Toray T700/G83C) and glass/PP (Twintex) samples in a quasi-static and intermediate range. For carbon/epoxy tubes with a 45-chamfer initiator, the maximum SEA measured (86 kJ/kg) was observed at quasi-static speeds. The crash durability analysis was also performed for certain types of vehicle structural components like bumpers or plates.
It has been studied that the friction and wear for missile power plants of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) composites in LN2. and considered strong tribological characteristics for low-temperature carbon-filled PTFE materials.
The wear mechanism remains consistent from RT to low temperatures and that the wear rate drops due to much higher hardness at low temperatures. He concluded that the primary wear mechanism for polymers is adhesive wear at room temperatures but also cryogenic temperatures.
An advanced hybrid composite material has been developed by utilizing nano clay and nano alumina in a PP matrix. They evaluated the mechanical and thermal properties of the material. They observed that 4 wt.% of nano clay, along with the coupling agents, showed good mechanical properties; however, 4 wt.% alumina, along with the coupling agents, showed good thermal properties. The hybrid composite showed around a 25% increase in both the mechanical and the thermal properties.