Ecodesign of automotive components making use of natural jute fiber composites

Published Date
March 2010, Vol.18(4):313–327, doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2009.10.02

Author 

C. Alves ^a,,

P.M.C. Ferrão ^a

A.J. Silva ^a

L.G. Reis ^a

M. Freitas ^a

L.B. Rodrigues ^b

D.E. Alves^c

• aInstituto Superior Tecnico, Rovisco Pais Av., 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
• bUniversidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Praça da Primavera, 40, 45700-000 Itapetinga, Brazil
• cInstituto de Artes Visuais, Design e Marketing, D. Carlos I Av., 4, 1200-649 Lisbon, Portugal

Received 12 August 2009. Revised 7 October 2009. Accepted 26 October 2009. Available online 1 November 2009.

Abstract

Nowadays, the world faces unprecedented challenges in social, environmental and economical dimensions, in which the industrial design has showed an important contribution with solutions that provide positive answers regarding these problems. In particular, due to its relevance, the automotive industry confronts a moment of crises, and based on the ecodesign of products it has been transforming the challenges in opportunities. In this context, the use of natural fiber composites, produced in developing countries, have presented several social, environmental and economical advantages to design “green” automotive components. Thus, this work through LCA method demonstrates the possibility to use natural fibers through a case study design which investigates the environmental improvements related to the replacement of glass fibers for natural jute fibers, to produce a structural frontal bonnet of an off-road vehicle (Buggy). Results pointed out the advantages of applying jute fiber composites in Buggy enclosures.

Keywords

Natural Fibers

Jute

LCA

Composites

Automobile

Ecodesign

---

 Table 1

Table 1.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

 Table 2

Table 2.

 Table 3

Table 3.

 Table 4

Table 4.

Fig. 3.

 Table 5

Table 5.

Fig. 4.

 Table 6

Table 6.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

 Table 7

Table 7.

Fig. 7.

 Table 8

Table 8.

Fig. 8.

 Table 9

Table 9.

 Table 10

Table 10.

Fig. 9.

 Table 11

Table 11.

 Table 12

Table 12.

Fig. 10.

Fig. 11.

 Table 13

Table 13.

Fig. 12.

 Table 14

Table 14.

Fig. 13.

 Table 15

Table 15.

Fig. 14.

 Table 16

Table 16.

 Table 17

Table 17.

Fig. 15.

• ∗ 
  Corresponding author. Tel.: +351 21 8417918; fax: +351 21 8496156.
  
  

For further details log on website :
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950061816314386

Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites in industrial applications: feasibility of date palm fibers for sustainable automotive industry

Published Date
1 March 2014, Vol.66:347–354, doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.10.050

Author 

• Faris M. AL-Oqla
• S.M. Sapuan ^,,

• Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Received 29 April 2013. Revised 15 October 2013. Accepted 28 October 2013. Available online 7 November 2013.

Highlights

• Criteria for evaluating NFC were categorized and classified into levels.
• •
  Comprehensive evaluation of NFC leads to better utilization of natural wastes.
• •
  DPF is feasible economic alternative for sustainable automotive industry.
• •
  Adopting DPF in automotive industry can solve environmentally waste problem issue.
• •
  DPF is the best regarding specific Young's modulus to cost ratio criterion.

Abstract 

Proper utilization of the available natural resources and wastes became crucial for developing sustainability in industry. In this work, the feasibility of using the date palm fibers in the natural fiber reinforced polymer composites (NFC) for automotive industry was reported. Moreover, this work identifies a gap in the way of evaluating NFC relative to comprehensive desired criteria. This gap leads to disregard potential natural fiber types in industrial applications and keep it no more than an environmental waste problem. Here, criteria that affect the NFC were categorized and classified into levels. Governing criteria were suggested, collected and tabulated according to each level. To ensure the potential and competitiveness of the date palm fiber (DPF) in developing sustainability of the automotive industry, several comparisons between DPF and other fiber types commonly used in this industry were carried out. In most comparisons, DPF was the best selected fiber among all other types. DPF was the best regarding specific Young's modulus to cost ratio criterion. Technical properties and performance, environmental, economical, and societal aspects strongly contribute toward adopting DPF into the automotive sector to improve its sustainability and productivity. Furthermore, this adoption has a significant environmental influence throughout achieving an efficient sustainable waste management practice.

Keywords

Industrial sustainability

Natural fibers

Date palm fibers

Waste utilization

Bio-based composites

Automotive industry

---

Fig. 1.

 Table 1

Table 1.

 Table 2

Table 2.

 Table 3

Table 3.

 Table 4

Table 4.

 Table 5

Table 5.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

Fig. 7.

Fig. 8.

Fig. 9.

• ∗ 
  Corresponding author.
  
  

For further details log on website :
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950061816314386