Plastics in the automotive and transport industries

The use of plastic components in the automotive industry has shown extraordinary growth in recent years. Polymers are currently being used to manufacture more than 1,000 different automotive parts. Using plastics as an alternative to traditional materials such as metal gives the industry major advantages, including energy efficiency, durability, design flexibility, noise reduction and cost savings.

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More lightweight composite materials to design railway of the future

The MAT4RAIL project developed new formulations of hybrid resins that will make it possible to replace metal railways parts with lighter composite materials. Smart interior parts were also designed to increase capacity and provide greater passenger comfort.

Biocomposites in the automotive industry: potential applications and benefits

Biocomposite materials can be defined as composite materials in which at least one of the constituents is derived from natural sources. This includes composite materials made from the combination of petroleum-derived polymers reinforced with natural fibre, biopolymers reinforced with natural fibre, or biopolymers reinforced with synthetic fibre (e.g. glass, carbon).

Microwave Curing Composites

Composite components must be cured under very strict processing conditions due to the need of having a reproducible polymerisation of the resin. Currently, polyester, vinylester […]

Types of composite materials

Composite materials are formed by two or more components so that the properties of the final material are better than the properties of the components […]

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LIFE CIRC-ELV Project significantly reduces CO2 emissions in the manufacture of new plastic products for transportation and construction

AIMPLAS recently finished coordinating the LIFE CIRC-ELV Project, which ended with the successful development of a new process for recycling plastic components from end-of-life vehicles. […]

AIMPLAS to develop new sustainable materials and processes to reduce vehicle emissions through weight reduction

The automotive industry is facing the challenge of environmental sustainability by reducing CO2 emissions in response to legislation and the demands of society, which call […]

Now accredited for emissions testing using the one cubic-metre chamber method, AIMPLAS expands its testing capacities to include emissions from plastic materials in vehicle interiors

AIMPLAS has expanded the scope of its testing accreditation for the automotive industry by including the one cubic-metre chamber emission method.

Transformation processes for thermoplastic composites that can replace metal components of batteries

The VETERIA21 Project will develop new, more efficient transformation processes for thermoplastic composites so they can be used to replace

Research on chemical recycling of composites used in wind turbines and the aeronautics sector will breathe new life into the ceramics industry

The transport industry is currently the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, followed by the electric power industry. It is therefore necessary to use lighter structures […]