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Sustainable Automotive Components for Interior Trims: A case Study

Conference Paper · July 2014

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Nuno Calçada Loureiro

Superior Institute of Douro and Vouga
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Sustainable Automotive Components for Interior Trims: A case Study

N.C.Loureiro

ISVOUGA – Superior Institute of Douro and Vouga

R. António de Castro Corte Real, Apartado 132 – 4520-909 Santa Maria da Feira,
Portugal

n.loureiro@doc.isvouga.pt

INEGI – Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management

Campus da FEUP, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, 400 – 4200-465 Porto, Portugal

CIDEM – Centre for Research & Development in Mechanical Engineering

ISEP, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 431 – 4200-072 Porto, Portugal

ABSTRACT

In this paper the written book about this topic will be presented.

In the last few years, biomaterials have been a target of interest at scientific, technological
research and industrial level. The increasing of the environmental concern and the
excessive use of petrol resources have conducted to the development of new materials,
biocomposites, which will achieve a great importance into the future.

It’s a fact that, allied to weight reduction, the automotive industry can benefit from the
inclusion of these materials in cars, not only because of the installed fear of decline and
extinction of oil reserves, but also because of the strong legislation that forces an
increasing incorporation of these materials in automobiles.
 This topic presents a big potential because it seeks to find solutions for a sustainable
development with environmental concerns in order to be able to obtain biodegradable
solutions for the interior door trims.

Since the main purpose of this work is to create a bio-composite that is suitable to
replace the existing interior door trims, the work has focused on obtaining that bio-
composite, taking account into the raw-materials cost reduction and the maintenance of
the manufacturing process of current door trims.

Therefore PLA and PHA blends mechanical and morphological behavior have been
studied in order to define the best matrix for use in this study.

Subsequently it was studied the incorporation of cellulosic fiber to adjust the properties
to meet the required values.

Throughout this report, it’s possible to find a description of the various tasks performed
in the development of this project. The work began with a review of the literature about
biocomposites materials.

Then it’s presented the experimental work. The study of the choice of matrix and
processing parameters, followed by the study of the fibers incorporation is presented.
Having defined the composite the work ends with the production of an interior door trim
made into this bio-composite to demonstrate the potentiality of these materials.

In conclusion it verifies that the matrix containing 70% PLA and 30% PHA (weight
fraction) has the best properties for the interior door trims. The incorporation of 20% of
fiber improves the thermal behavior of the composite, proving that it is possible to replace
the petrol-based polymers for these biocomposites without compromising the mechanical
behavior of interior door trims.

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