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CARBIO project makes carbon flax hybrid structures for car

29 Oct '15

2 min read

The CARBIO project is developing carbon flax hybrid structures for automotive applications.

The carbon structures have reduced weight, cost, environmental impact and improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) by the incorporation of novel flax-bioepoxy composites into carbon fibre components.

Carbon fibre-epoxy composites can reduce the weight and improve the performance of automotive components and structures. Flax fibres are low cost, renewable, CO2 neutral and have excellent vibration damping properties, while bio-based epoxy resins offer enhanced toughness and sustainability over synthetic epoxies.

By replacing some of the carbon in a laminate with flax, hybrid structures can be created with lower weight, NVH, and environmental impact. Relative to carbon fibre, a 50/50 carbon/flax hybrid composite has 15 per cent lower cost, 7 per cent lower weight, 58 per cent higher vibration damping, and equal bending stiffness.

The project partners are developing and optimising flax/carbon hybrid biocomposite materials and testing them according to automotive OEM specifications. A number of automotive parts are being designed, manufactured, and tested as case studies for the technology, according to the project website.

Applications of this technology include automotive body panels, secondary structures, and decorative trim parts. The technology could also be of advantage to the sports and leisure sector (racquets, bike frames, hockey sticks, skis etc.) and marine sectors (bulkheads, doors etc.).

The CARBIO project is part-funded by Innovate UK. The partners are Composites Evolution, SHD Composite Materials, KS Composites, Delta Motorsport, Jaguar Land Rover, and Cranfield University. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India