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

This book focuses on the use of natural fiber composites (NFCs) in the automotive industry. The new race in the automotive industry is no longer speed, but rather low weight and sustainable. Major automakers and component suppliers are now shifting to natural fiber reinforcements for their composite components as a sustainable and lightweight alternative to conventional, synthetic reinforcements. The main object of this book is to bridge the gap between academic literature and actual industry practices, and to provide a comprehensive and integrated review on the use of NFC in the automotive industry from composite fabrication to recycling. The book focuses on the major areas of interest to academic researchers, such as the history of NFC in the automotive industry, specific types of materials used, material qualification programs, major technical challenges facing NFC, major processing techniques and parameters, analysis of major NFC parts used and their performance requirements, sustainability assessments including life cycle assessment and carbon footprint, and future trends.

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.

Design for Sustainability: Green Materials and Processes provides fundamental and practical knowledge surrounding product development applications throughout the entire lifecycle of green materials, ranging from conceptual design, material and manufacturing process selection, and environmental lifecycle assessment. In addition, several topics covering recent advances in the application of sustainable design within the automotive, building and construction, packaging and consumer product industries are also included in this book to provide practical examples of this philosophy in current applications. Lastly, a section on implementation of design for sustainability in education is added to aid readers that wish to introduce this philosophy to younger students. This book will be beneficial to researchers, students in higher education institutions, design practitioners and engineers in private and public sector organization with aspirations to develop sustainable products in the future. Design for sustainability is one of the primary focuses in human advancement nowadays, with the aim of developing products and services that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Provides an overview on materials and process design for sustainability Discusses theoretical aspects about design for sustainability Includes a discussion of the most recent advances and applications in design for sustainability

Sustainable Biopolymer Composites: Biocompatibility, Self-healing, Modeling, Repair and Recyclability focuses on sustainable polymer composites also referred to as bio- composites. Vital aspects such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, repair and recyclability are discussed in detail. In addition, complexities like rapid and scalable processing, onsite repair, and minimal environmental effects are also covered along with the appropriateness of advanced polymer composites for structural applications in automotive, aviation and marine industries. This book will be an indispensable resource for scientists, engineers, physicists and chemists who are interested in the preparation, applications and repair analysis of bio-based composites and nano-composites for different types of applications. The composites repair process is extremely complex, hence it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of damage mechanisms to apply the most suitable repair technique. Damage assessment using onsite inspection, e.g., NDT, THz techniques and the automated repair process for reliability and repeatability, are vital parameters when executing bonded composite repair. Furthermore, overall integrity and structural health monitoring of composites repair is also necessary. Features detailed information on damage detection, failure analysis and repair of advanced bio-polymer composites Emphasizes biocompatibility, degradation and recyclability of these materials Features key chapters on molecular dynamics, multi-scale modeling and self-healing Presents a roadmap for materials selection, processing and industrial utilization for a broad range of applications

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

Green Composites: Waste-based Materials for a Sustainable Future, Second Edition presents exciting new developments on waste-based composites. New, additional, or replacement chapters focus on these elements, reflecting on developments over the past ten years. Authors of existing chapters have brought these themes into their work wherever possible, and case study chapters that connect materials engineering to the topic's social context are included in this revised edition. Professor Baillie believes that the new ‘green’ is the "what and who" composites are being designed for, "what" material needs we have, and "what" access different groups have to the technical knowledge required, etc. Industry is now showing concerns for corporate social responsibility and social impact. Recent conversations with prestigious materials institutions have indicated a growing interest in moving into areas of research that relate their work to beneficial social impacts. The book's example of Waste for Life demonstrates the genre proposed for the case study chapters. Waste for Life adopts scientific knowledge and low-threshold/high-impact technologies. Provides insights into the changes in the Industry, including a greater understanding of noticing that the bottom line is influenced by poor social relations and negative social impact Presents tactics any industry should consider to make engineering part of the solution instead of the problem Includes case study chapters that connect materials engineering in a social context Covers waste green composites, fueling a new direction of research for many Universities