Abstract
Natural fibers have the ability to reinforce polymeric materials. In this work, sugar palm fibers were added as a reinforcement agent to a polypropylene (PP) matrix to form biocomposites. Flexural strength measurement in accordance with ASTM D790-17 was carried out on PP composites with the sugar palm fiber content changed from 0 to 30 wt.% in 5 wt.% steps. The flexural strength data show a composition dependence on the fiber content with a maxima (52.09 MPa) obtained in 15 wt.% fibers. Sugarcane bagasse-PP composite together with wood board composite and neat PP as existing materials by automotive industry were used as reference material in the study. This sugar palm fiber-PP composites offer lower density in comparison with wood board composites and PP. The area density of the composites is in the range of 1285-1635 g/m2 for the composition studied while PP and wood board have area density of 1466 and 1700 g/m2 respectively.
Highlights
IntroductionThe original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) need to go through an important development phase to solve of the biggest tasks in reducing the weight of automobiles to reduce fuel consumption
The automotive industries are urged to address challenges concerning users and the environment
The fact shows that almost a quarter of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are from road transport
Summary
The original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) need to go through an important development phase to solve of the biggest tasks in reducing the weight of automobiles to reduce fuel consumption. In the US, CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards require automakers to deliver a fleet average of at least 54.5 mpg by 2025 [1]. Despite of that, increasing customers toward a green lifestyle, along with energy security issues, are expected to push the demand for alternate materials for automobiles. According to Assembly magazine’s “State of the Profession Survey that since 2017, the attention in using lightweight materials has risen by 11 percentage points.” [2] A lighter object requires less energy to accelerate than a heavier one, or in other words that lightweight materials offer great potential for increasing vehicle efficiency
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