Sustainable Composites for Lightweight Applications

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.