Browse Topic: Fibers
ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the application of a novel Additive Molding™ process in the design optimization of a combat vehicle driver’s seat structure. Additive Molding™ is a novel manufacturing process that combines three-dimensional design flexibility of additive manufacturing with a high-volume production rate compression molding process. By combining the lightweighting benefits of topology optimization with the high strength and stiffness of tailored continuous carbon fiber reinforcements, the result is an optimized structure that is lighter than both topology-optimized metal additive manufacturing and traditional composites manufacturing. In this work, a combat vehicle driver’s seatback structure was optimized to evaluate the weight savings when converting the design from a baseline aluminum seat structure to a carbon fiber / polycarbonate structure. The design was optimized to account for mobility loads and a 95-percentile male soldier, and the result was a reduction in
University of Waterloo Chemical Engineering Researcher Dr. Elisabeth Prince teamed up with researchers from the University of Toronto and Duke University to design the synthetic material made using cellulose nanocrystals, which are derived from wood pulp. The material is engineered to replicate the fibrous nanostructures and properties of human tissues, thereby recreating its unique biomechanical properties
Carbon-fiber structural batteries are not entirely new, but now Sinonus, a company spun out of Chalmers Technical University in Gothenburg, Sweden, is further developing the technology with carbon fibers that double as battery electrodes. The technology has already been demonstrated in low-power applications, and Sinonus will now develop it for use in a range of larger applications including, first, IoT devices and then drones, computers, electric vehicles and airplanes. By integrating the battery into carbon-fiber structures, Sinonus believes that an EV's weight could be reduced while the driving range could increase by as much as 70%. The carbon-fiber technology used by Sinonus originated at Oxeon, another Chalmers spin-off
Nylon, Teflon, Kevlar. These are just a few familiar polymers — large-molecule chemical compounds — that have changed the world. From Teflon-coated frying pans to 3D printing, polymers are vital to creating the systems that make the world function better
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed an optical amplifier that they expect will revolutionize both space and fiber communication. The new amplifier offers high performance, is compact enough to integrate into a chip just millimeters in size, and crucially, does not generate excess noise
A new groundbreaking “smart glove” is capable of tracking the hand and finger movements of stroke victims during rehabilitation exercises. The glove incorporates a sophisticated network of highly sensitive sensor yarns and pressure sensors that are woven into a comfortable stretchy fabric, enabling it to track, capture, and wirelessly transmit even the smallest hand and finger movements
New Scale Technologies Victor, NY
To save on fuel and reduce aircraft emissions, engineers are looking to build lighter, stronger airplanes out of advanced composites. These engineered materials are made from high-performance fibers that are embedded in polymer sheets. The sheets can be stacked and pressed into one multilayered material and made into extremely lightweight and durable structures
In research that may lead to advancements in the design of next-generation airplane and spacecraft, MIT engineers used carbon nanotubes to prevent cracking in multilayered composites. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA To save on fuel and reduce aircraft emissions, engineers are looking to build lighter, stronger airplanes out of advanced composites. These engineered materials are made from high-performance fibers that are embedded in polymer sheets. The sheets can be stacked and pressed into one multilayered material and made into extremely lightweight and durable structures. But composite materials have one main vulnerability: the space between layers, which is typically filled with polymer “glue” to bond the layers together. In the event of an impact or strike, cracks can easily spread between layers and weaken the material, even though there may be no visible damage to the layers themselves. Over time, as these hidden cracks spread between layers, the composite
Composite materials play an important role in aerospace manufacturing. The light weight, durability and ability to create complex shapes from molds make these materials ideal for frames and structural components that enable lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft. While composite structures can weigh up to 20 percent less than their metal counterparts, these materials can often be more difficult to machine. The extremely abrasive nature of carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) will wear down standard cutting tools more quickly than almost any other material. A standard carbide cutting tool may only hold up to cutting a few feet of CFRPs before its dimensional stability fails, while in traditional metal machining that same tool might last 20 to 50 times that before wearing out
The automotive sector’s growing focus on sustainability has been spurred to investigate the creation of sustainable resources for different parts, emphasizing enhancing efficiency and minimizing environmental harm. For use in automobile flooring trays and underbody shields, this study examines the impact of injection molding on composite materials made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Linum usitatissimum (flax) fibers. As processed organic fiber content was increased, the bending and tensile rigidity initially witnessed an upsurge, peaking at a specific fiber loading. At this optimal loading, the composite exhibited tensile strength, flexural strength, and elastic modulus values of 41.26 MPa, 52.32 MPa, and 2.65 GPa, respectively. Given their deformation resistance and impact absorption attributes, the mechanical properties recorded suggest that such composites can be efficiently utilized for automotive underbody shields and floor trays. The inherent structure of the flax fiber within
Recycling of advanced composites made from carbon fibers in epoxy resins is required for two primary reasons. First, the energy necessary to produce carbon fibers is very high and therefore reusing these fibers could greatly reduce the lifecycle energy of components which use them. Second, if the material is allowed to break down in the environment, it will contribute to the growing presence of microplastics and other synthetic pollutants. Currently, recycling and safe methods of disposal typically do not aim for full circularity, but rather separate fibers for successive downcycling while combusting the matrix in a clean burning process. Breakdown of the matrix, without damaging the carbon fibers, can be achieved by pyrolysis, fluidized bed processes, or chemical solvolysis. The major challenge is to align fibers into unidirectional tows of real value in high-performance composites
Additive manufacturing (AM) is currently being used to produce many aerospace components, with its inherent design flexibility enabling an array of unique and novel possibilities. But, in order to grow the application space of polymer AM, the industry has to provide an offering with improved mechanical properties. Several entities are working toward introducing continuous fibers embedded into either a thermoplastic or thermoset resin system. This approach can enable significant improvement in mechanical properties and could be what is needed to open new and exciting applications within the aerospace industry. However, as the technology begins to mature, there are a couple of unsettled issues that are beginning to come to light. The most common question raised is whether composite AM can achieve the performance of traditional composite manufacturing. If AM cannot reach this level, is there enough application potential to warrant the development investment? The answers are highly
Literature has shown that 3D printed composites may have highly anisotropic mechanical properties due to variation in microstructure as a result of filament deposition process. Laminate composite theory, which is already used for composite products, has been proposed as an effective method for quantifying these mechanical characteristics. Continuous fiber composites traditionally have the best mechanical properties but can difficult or costly to manufacture, especially when attempting to use additive manufacturing methods. Traditionally, continuous fiber composites used specialized equipment such as vacuum enclaves or labor heavy hand layering techniques. An attractive alternative to these costly techniques is modifying discontinuous fiber additive manufacturing methods into utilizing continuous fibers. Currently there exist commercial systems that utilize finite-deposition (FD) techniques that insert a continuous fiber braid into certain layers of the composite product. One of these
A team of inventors from NASA Langley and NASA Ames have created a new type of carbon fiber polymer composite that has a high thermal conductivity. This was achieved by incorporating Pyrolytic Graphite Sheets (PGSs) and Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), which enhance the material’s ability to transfer heat when compared to typical carbon fiber composites
Additive manufacturing is currently being investigated for the production of components aiming for near net shape. The presence of chopped glass fibers with PA6 increases the melt viscosity and also changes the coefficients of thermal expansion and increase the heat resistance. The great dimensional stability obtained with the fusion of the PA6 with the fiber results in an extremely durable material even in adverse environments for many other materials used in 3D printing. PA6 is a material oriented for users who need to make structural parts and exposed to high mechanical stresses. The impact, test tensile, and flexural results for as-built PA6 with various infill patterns, including grid, triangle, trihexagon, and cubic, are tested
The world is on a “take-make-waste,” linear-growth economic trajectory where products are bought, used, and then discarded in direct progression with little to no consideration for recycling or reuse. This unsustainable path now requires an urgent call to action for all sectors in the global society: circularity is a must to restore the health of the planet and people. However, carbon-rich textile waste could potentially become a next-generation feedstock, and the mobility sector has the capacity to mobilize ecologically minded designs, supply chains, financing mechanisms, consumer education, cross-sector activation, and more to capitalize on this “new source of carbon.” Activating textile circularity will be one of the biggest business opportunities to drive top- and bottom-line growth for the mobility industry. Textile Circularity and the Sustainability Model of New Mobility provides context and insights on why textiles—a term that not only includes plant-based and animal-based
Natural fiber-reinforced composites are increasingly used in the automotive and aerospace industries since more studies focus on them because they are environmentally benign. The primary benefit of natural fibers over synthetic fibers is their biodegradability. In addition to meeting other standards, natural fiber-reinforced composites have high thermal and mechanical qualities. The current study’s main objective has been to investigate one such natural fiber-reinforced polymer. Biomaterials constructed of Abutilon indicum fiber reinforced with polyester were created in the current work. The test samples with the materials above underwent mechanical and thermal investigations to determine their strengths. The impact of alkali treatment (NaOH) on the fibers was also investigated and assessed. Compared to other samples such as 5, 10, and 15 g of fiber loadings the 20 g of fiber loading reveals the highest mechanical properties such as 59.21 MPa tensile, 72.45 MPa of bending, and 11.25 kJ
This research looks at the acoustic and mechanical characteristics of polypropylene (PP) composites supplemented with natural fibers to determine whether they are appropriate for automotive use. To generate composites that are hybrids, four diverse natural fibers, including Calotropis gigantea (CGF), jute, sisal, and kenaf, were mixed into PP matrices. The study examines how fiber type, frequency, and thickness affect sound absorption and mechanical strength. The results show that these natural fiber-reinforced composites have improved mechanical characteristics, with CGF (73.26 shore D value of Hardness), sisal (42.35 MPa tensile) and jute fibers showing particularly promising materials. Furthermore, the acoustic study emphasizes these materials’ frequency-dependent sound absorption properties, with particular efficacy in mid-frequency regions. Such organic reinforcement fiber materials’ acoustic performance is tested at 5 mm and 10 mm thicknesses. When a 5 mm thick sample is examined
Items per page:
50
1 – 50 of 4409