This contribution presents a methodology for designing, manufacturing, and testing of a multi-material solution demonstrator of a lower control arm for electric vehicle (EV) chassis made of a three-dimensional Fiber reinforced polymer-Metal Laminate (FML). The Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) approach includes simulation methodology for process modeling, i.e. forming and draping, and part performance with the aim to reduce the developing time and related trial and errors. The challenges, besides a limited availability of resources and material input data for numerical models, include the combination of different forming methods for Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP) and sheet metals (aluminum alloy) with the aim of simultaneous forming of both materials. Especially the sheet metal forming needed several improvement steps regarding heat treatment state to increase the ductility and reduce crack propagation, as well as optimization of the shape of the blanks to be formed into an asymmetric, three-dimensional geometry. Assembly includes adhesive bonding of the flat FML to the curved structure, and adapters for the testing to be performed. The quasi-static misuse testing is in good agreement to the results obtained from the simulated structural performance, with the weakest location being the adhesive bond line. An outlook on potential improvements regarding process simulation for manufacturing Fiber Metal Laminates, including necessary input data, is provided. 

This paper describes design, manufacture, and testing of a linerless composite vessel for liquid hydrogen, having 0.3 m diameter and 0.9 m length. The vessel consists of a composite cylinder manufactured by wet filament winding of thin-ply composite bands, bonded to titanium end caps produced by additive manufacturing. The aim was to demonstrate the linerless design concept with a thin-ply composite for the cylinder. The investigation is limited to the internal pressure vessel, while real cryogenic tanks also involve an outer vessel containing vacuum for thermal insulation. Thermal stresses dominate during normal operation (4 bar) and the layup was selected for equal hoop strains in the composite cylinder and end caps during filling with liquid hydrogen. Two vessels were tested in 20 cycles, by filling and emptying with liquid nitrogen to 4 bar, without signs of damage or leakage. Subsequently, one vessel was tested until burst at almost 30 bar.

This study centers on investigating the influence of conductive additives, carbon black (Super P) and graphene, within the context of LiFePO4 (LFP)-impregnated carbon fibers (CFs) produced using the powder impregnation method. The performance of these additives was subject to an electrochemical evaluation. The findings reveal that there are no substantial disparities between the two additives at lower cycling rates, highlighting their adaptability in conventional energy storage scenarios. However, as cycling rates increase, graphene emerges as the better performer. At a rate of 1.5C in a half-cell versus lithium, electrodes containing graphene exhibited a discharge capacity of 83 mAhgLFP−1; those with Super P and without any additional conductive additive showed a capacity of 65 mAhgLFP−1 and 48 mAhgLFP−1, respectively. This distinction is attributed to the structural and conductivity advantages inherent to graphene, showing its potential to enhance the electrochemical performance of structural batteries. Furthermore, LFP-impregnated CFs were evaluated in full cells versus pristine CFs, yielding relatively similar results, though with a slightly improved outcome observed with the graphene additive. These results provide valuable insights into the role of conductive additives in structural batteries and their responsiveness to varying operational conditions, underlining the potential for versatile energy storage solutions. © 2024 The Authors

The rising industrial demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable materials has shifted the attention from synthetic to natural fibers. Natural fibers provide advantages like affordability, lightweight nature, and renewability. Jute fibers’ substantial production potential and cost-efficiency have propelled current research in this field. In this study, the mechanical behavior (tensile, flexural, and interlaminar shear properties) of plasma-treated jute composite laminates and the flexural behavior of jute fabric-reinforced sandwich composites were investigated. Non-woven mat fiber (MFC), jute fiber (JFC), dried jute fiber (DJFC), and plasma-treated jute fiber (TJFC) composite laminates, as well as sandwich composites consisting of jute fabric bio-based unsaturated polyester (UPE) composite as facing material and polyethylene terephthalate (PET70 and PET100) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as core materials were fabricated to compare their functional properties. Plasma treatment of jute composite laminate had a positive effect on some of the mechanical properties, which led to an improvement in Young’s modulus (7.17 GPa) and tensile strength (53.61 MPa) of 14% and 8.5%, respectively, as well as, in flexural strength (93.71 MPa) and flexural modulus (5.20 GPa) of 24% and 35%, respectively, compared to those of JFC. In addition, the results demonstrated that the flexural properties of jute sandwich composites can be significantly enhanced by incorporating PET100 foams as core materials. © 2023 by the authors.

Fibre reinforced polymer composites (FRPs) are being increasingly used in aerospace and automotive applications due to their high specific mechanical properties. The construction industry has also started taking advantage of the potential of FRPs for both structural and non-structural purposes. The result of this remarkable absorption of FRPs within the worldwide production market, has led to an immense increase of decommissioned thermoset-matrix components. Nowadays, the majority of the decommissioned FRP components are recovered energy-wise through incineration or simply discarded in landfills around the globe. Within the framework of this paper, we present a solution for the extension of the service life of decommissioned FRP components. Decommissioned electrical insulation FRP pipes were granulated and incorporated as fillers within both cementitious and polymer matrix composites. The effect of FRP granulates on the mechanical performance of cementitious and polymer matrix composites is examined to determine the maximum granulate-filler fraction that can be recycled without compromising the mechanical performance and manufacturing process. © 2020 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fibre reinforced polymer composites (FRPs) are being increasingly used in aerospace and automotive applications due to their high specific mechanical properties. The construction industry has also started taking advantage of the potential of FRPs for both structural and non-structural purposes. The result of this remarkable absorption of FRPs within the worldwide production market, has led to an immense increase of decommissioned thermoset-matrix components. Nowadays, the majority of the decommissioned FRP components are recovered energy-wise through incineration or simply discarded in landfills around the globe. Within the framework of this paper, we present a solution for the extension of the service life of decommissioned FRP components. Decommissioned electrical insulation FRP pipes were granulated and incorporated as fillers within both cementitious and polymer matrix composites. The effect of FRP granulates on the mechanical performance of cementitious and polymer matrix composites is examined to determine the maximum granulate-filler fraction that can be recycled without compromising the mechanical performance and manufacturing process.