Woodhead Publishing Sustainable Composites for Lightweight Applications (Woodhead Publishing Series in Composites Science and Engineering)

Carbon and glass fibre reinforced composite materials have been used for many years in several different types of applications. However, these conventional composites are derived from non-renewable reinforcements and they pose a significant threat to the environment. Government legislation and consumer behaviour have recently forced many industries to adapt sustainable composites. Industries such as automotive, marine and aerospace are now seeking sustainable lightweight composites with the aim to reduce the overall weight of the components with enhanced materials and design aspects. Therefore, there is high demand on research for the development of sustainable lightweight composites. This book presents a comprehensive review of lightweight composites with the central aim to increase their use in key industrial sectors such as automotive, marine and aerospace. There is no such book currently available that is dedicated to sustainable lightweight applications covering important topics such as key drivers for lightweight composites, mechanical properties, damage characterisation, durability and environmental aspects. Key topics that are addressed include: The roles of reinforcements and matrices in composite materials Sustainable natural fibre reinforcements and their morphological structures Lightweight applications and properties requirements Design, manufacturing processes and their effects on properties Testing and damage characterisation of composite materials Sustainable composites and techniques for property enhancement Future trends and challenges for sustainable composites in lightweight applications It will be a valuable reference resource for those working in material Science, polymer science, materials engineering, and industries involved in the manufacture of automotive and aerospace components from lightweight composite materials. Review Presents a comprehensive review of lightweight composites with the central aim to increase their use in key industrial sectors such as automotive, marine and aerospace About the Author Professor Hom Nath Dhakal is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Portsmouth. He leads the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Research Group. He is also a Docent (Visiting) Professor of Biobased Composite Materials at the Faculty of Textiles, Engineering and Business at the University of Borås, Sweden. He was also a Visiting Professor with the University of Toronto, Canada in 2017, where he worked in the Faculty of Forestry, undertaking research work in the field of composites and biocomposites. His expertise include the design and development of sustainable lightweight composite materials, and their testing and characterisation. His research has benefited many industries through the development of a range of new sustainable materials, formulations and manufacturing processes. Professor Dhakal has published in over 150 international peer-reviewed journals, book chapters and conference proceedings. He has been a guest editor for a number of journals and I'm a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Composites Science, Journal of Research on Engineering Structures & Materials, and the Material Chemistry section of the Journal of Molecules. He also serves as a member of scientific committees and as an evaluator for various research projects. Professor Dhakal is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), a member of the American Society for Composites (ASC), and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), and the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining (IOM3) (FIMMM). He has over 30 years of teaching and research experience in the field of mechanical engineering, materials and manufacturing. Dr Sikiru O. Ismail is currently a Senior Lecturer in Manufacturing Engineering and Materials at School of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire, England, Unit