Materialography of Thermoplastic Composites

Stringent carbon emission standards and the demand by consumers for cars with higher fuel efficiency has driven the need for materials with better attributes than light-weight metallic alloys. Are thermoplastic composites (TPCs) a viable replacement for load-bearing metal components?

Thermoplastic composites are increasingly being utilized in various applications such as automotive, energy, sports, and even aerospace and defense. This is due to their excellent strength-to-weight ratios, which make them prime candidates for automotive and aerospace light weighting applications. Automotive light weighting is the practice of decreasing the weight of the vehicle to increase its fuel efficiency.

Previously, light weighting was accomplished mainly by replacing conventional steel components with lighter metals such as aluminum. However, with more stringent carbon emission standards and the demand by consumers for cars with higher fuel efficiency, the need for materials with better attributes than light-weight metallic alloys became apparent. This has driven the interest in using thermoplastic composites (TPCs) as a viable replacement for load-bearing metal components.

This webinar will cover:

• Potential utilization of thermoplastic composites in modern fuel-efficient vehicles and other applications
• The use of materialographic techniques to characterize their microstructures