Automotive Application of Chemically Foamed rPET

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Engineering
• Automotive Engineering

Background:

• Recycled plastics offer sustainable alternatives in manufacturing.
• Automotive industry demands lightweight materials meeting stringent safety standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the automotive applicability of foamed recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET).
• To develop lighter automotive parts from rPET that comply with fire safety regulations.

Main Methods:

• Injection molding of rPET with endothermic/exothermic foaming agents and flame retardants (OP/MPP).
• Utilized a breathing mold technique for controlled foaming.
• Evaluated foam structure via computer tomographic scans.
• Assessed mechanical properties using finite element simulations.

Main Results:

• Successful foam structure formation confirmed by CT scans, enhancing strength-to-weight ratio.
• Foam cell size varied with part thickness (larger in thicker sections, smaller in thinner sections).
• Finite element analysis indicated no adverse effect of large cell formation on load-bearing capacity or stress concentration.

Conclusions:

• Foamed rPET parts demonstrate successful integration of recycled materials for automotive applications.
• The developed material meets automotive fire safety standards.
• The improved strength-to-weight ratio makes foamed rPET a viable replacement for small automotive components.