Lightweight And Sustainable Composite Materials

Lightweight and Sustainable Composites Materials: Preparation, Properties and Applications focuses on the synthesis, processing and characterization of these materials, their environmental sustainability features, compatibility with composites and their broad range of commercial and industrial application fields. The combination of being both lightweight and sustainable results in unique properties that make them suitable for a broad range of advanced commercial engineering applications. The book will be a valuable reference resource for academic and industrial researchers and material scientists and engineers working in the development of lightweight and sustainable composite materials. As recent studies on these materials reveal that they process excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties as well as improving environmental sustainability, this book is a welcomed resource. Discusses recycling and lifecycle assessment Covers different types of lightweight materials, including polymers, metals and natural fibers Covers synthesis and characterization techniques Links production, properties and applications with sustainability behavior Considers future trends and challenges for lightweight and sustainable composite materials

Carbon and glass fibre reinforced composite materials have been used for many years in several different types of applications. However, these conventional composites are derived from non-renewable reinforcements and they pose a significant threat to the environment. Government legislation and consumer behaviour have recently forced many industries to adapt sustainable composites. Industries such as automotive, marine and aerospace are now seeking sustainable lightweight composites with the aim to reduce the overall weight of the components with enhanced materials and design aspects. Therefore, there is high demand on research for the development of sustainable lightweight composites. This book presents a comprehensive review of lightweight composites with the central aim to increase their use in key industrial sectors such as automotive, marine and aerospace. There is no such book currently available that is dedicated to sustainable lightweight applications covering important topics such as key drivers for lightweight composites, mechanical properties, damage characterisation, durability and environmental aspects. Key topics that are addressed include: The roles of reinforcements and matrices in composite materials Sustainable natural fibre reinforcements and their morphological structures Lightweight applications and properties requirements Design, manufacturing processes and their effects on properties Testing and damage characterisation of composite materials Sustainable composites and techniques for property enhancement Future trends and challenges for sustainable composites in lightweight applications It will be a valuable reference resource for those working in material Science, polymer science, materials engineering, and industries involved in the manufacture of automotive and aerospace components from lightweight composite materials. Provides a comprehensive review of sustainable lightweight composites looking at key industrial applications such as automotive, marine, and aerospace and construction Important relationships between structure and properties are analysed in detail Enhancement of properties through hybrid systems, are also explored with emphasis on design, materials selection and manufacturing techniques

Composites are used in a wide range of applications, from electronics to the aeronautical industry. The excellent mechanical properties and low-specific weight of composites are the basis of many structural applications. Despite the progress achieved, there are significant obstacles to the generalisation of structural applications of composites, mainly due to their high cost and complex mechanical behaviour. In fact, there is currently insufficient knowledge regarding the mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of composites made from renewable and sustainable materials. This book focuses on composites from natural and renewable resources, including the enhancement of their properties with additives such as biodegradable nanomaterials, their mechanical characterisation, tailoring of properties for specific applications and their processing.

Automotive manufacturers are required to decrease CO2 emissions and increase fuel economy while assuring driver comfort and safety. In recent years, there has been rapid development in the application of lightweight and sustainable materials in the automotive industry to help meet these criteria. This book provides critical reviews and the latest research results of various lightweight and sustainable materials in automotive applications. It discusses current applications and future trends of lightweight materials in the automotive area. While there are a few books published mainly focusing on automotive applications of metallic lightweight materials, to date there is no available book focusing on a broad spectrum of lightweight materials, including metal, plastic, composites, bio-fiber, bio-polymer, carbon fiber, glass fiber, nanomaterials, rubber materials, and foaming materials, as this work does. The book also includes case studies of commercial lightweight automotive parts from sustainable lightweight materials, providing an invaluable resource to those involved in this in-demand research and commercialization area.

The book explores the pertinent aspects of sustainability of green and eco-friendly composites including their development methods and processing, characterization, properties, and applications. Significance for the design and engineering of high-performance green and eco-friendly composites is discussed in the present book. Insights on a wide spectrum of potential advanced applications ranging from automotive and aerospace to biomedical and packaging, etc. using these are highlighted. Further, it discusses life cycle and carbon footprint assessment of sustainable materials. Features: Explores different processing methods of green and eco-friendly composites Discusses development and optimization of green nanocomposites for sustainable manufacturing Collates modern green and eco-friendly composites research from theory to application Covers hybridization of reinforced fibers on the performance of green and eco-friendly composites Analyzes and discusses calculation of carbon footprint and Life Cycle Assessment of composites This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in materials science and engineering, sustainable materials, composites, and nanomaterials.

Sustainable Composites for Aerospace Applications presents innovative advances in the fabrication, characterization and applications of LDH polymer nanocomposites. It covers fundamental structural and chemical knowledge and explores various properties and characterization techniques, including microscopic, spectroscopic and mechanical behaviors. Users will find a strong focus on the potential applications of LDH polymer nanocomposites, such as in energy, electronics, electromagnetic shielding, biomedical, agricultural, food packaging and water purification functions. This book provides comprehensive coverage of cutting-edge research in the field of LDH polymer nanocomposites and future applications, and is an essential read for all academics, researchers, engineers and students working in this area. Presents fundamental knowledge of LDH polymer nanocomposites, including chemical composition, structural features and fabrication techniques Provides an analytical overview of the different types of characterization techniques and technologies Contains extensive reviews on cutting-edge research for future applications in a variety of industries

Natural fiber-reinforced composites have the potential to replace synthetic composites, leading to less expensive, stronger and more environmentally-friendly materials. This book provides a detailed review on how a broad range of biofibers can be used as reinforcements in composites and assesses their overall performance. The book is divided into five major parts according to the origins of the different biofibers. Part I contains chapters on bast fibers, Part II; leaf fibers, Part III; seed fibers, Part IV; grass, reed and cane fibers, and finally Part V covers wood, cellulosic and other fibers including cellulosic nanofibers. Each chapter reviews a specific type of biofiber providing detailed information on the sources of each fiber, their cultivation, how to process and prepare them, and how to integrate them into composite materials. The chapters outline current and potential applications for each fiber and discuss their main strengths and weaknesses. The book is divided into five major parts according to the origins of the different biofibers - bast, leaf, seed; grass, reed and cane fibers, and finally wood, cellulosic and other fibers including cellulosic nanofibers. This book provides a detailed review on how a broad range of biofibers can be used as reinforcements in composites and assesses their overall performance The chapters outline current and potential applications for each fiber and discuss their main strengths and weaknesses

This book deals with the introduction of various kinds of advanced composite materials such as carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP), aramid fiber-reinforced polymer (AFRP), and basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP). This book covers the advantages and disadvantages of these advanced composite materials. The primary advantages, such as high specific strength and stiffness, of advance composite materials result in lighter and durable structures. On the other hand, its linear elastic behavior till failure has been highlighted as the main disadvantage for their structural applications. This book also highlights the various forms in which the FRP components are tailored and stacked up to optimize its strength and stiffness to deliver the high-performance structural as well as non-structural components in its real-life application. The various forms in which FRP materials are developed are described such as uni-directional, cross-ply, angle-ply, hybrid, and functionally graded composites. In addition, various forms in which these materials stacked and/ bonded to fabricate the various structural and non-structural components are described. Most importantly, techniques to extract plant-based cellulosic fibers and its application to fabricate the various forms of sustainable composite products are described. In addition, development of nano-particle-enforced cellulosic fibers for sustainable industrial products has also been presented. Furthermore, the use of advanced composites and natural fiber-based composites has been demonstrated for repair, rehabilitation, and retrofitting of deficient structural systems. Moreover, the comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art research on the test methods for material characterization at room and elevated temperature is presented which will be of high interest to scientists, researchers, students, and engineers working in the fields of composite materials such as FRPs and other forms of composites such as fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC). This book is also helpful for undergraduate, masters, and most importantly Ph.D. research scholars for developing their fundamental understanding on advanced composite materials and their applications in construction as well as industrial sectors.