Next step for
automotive materials
The preservation of our environment requires that we
stop developing materials that will, like many plastics,
last indefinitely. Yet natures way, to accept rapid
degradation because there is continual renewal, is not
an option. Industry, especially the automotive sector,
which is an enormous user of bulk materials, would
like a halfway house of reasonably long-lived
materials that nevertheless degrade back into the
environment when they are no longer needed.
Reinforced plastics based on natural, mainly plant-
derived substances show promise of providing this
and may turn out to be one of the material
revolutions of this century.
36 April 2003
by George Marsh
The automotive industry is in the driving seat of
green composites because it is here that the need is
greatest. Faced with pressures to produce fuel-
efficient, low-polluting vehicles, the industry has
used fiber reinforced plastic composites to make its
products lighter. But producing the composites is
energy intensive and polluting, while the durability of
conventional composites, often seen as an advantage,
is also their Achilles heel. Glass, carbon, and aramid
fiber reinforced polyester, epoxy, and other similar
resins are difficult to recycle and hard to dispose of.
They do not degrade naturally and could linger for
generations.
Use of thermoplastics offers some relief, as these resins
can be thermally recycled to produce new products. But for a
more sustainable future and to meet growing regulatory
pressures of which the most pressing is the European
Unions end-of-life of vehicles (ELV) directive requiring that,
by 2015, all new vehicles should be 95% recyclable a more
complete solution is needed. From present indications, that
could turn out to be green composites based on fibers and
resins derived from plants.
Natural fibers come inside
A logical starting point is to take recyclable thermoplastic
resins (polypropylene or PP, polyolefin, polyethylene,
polyurethane, and polyamide are some of those already used
in vehicles), and combine them with biodegradable plant-
based fibers. Natural fibers have the potential to reduce
vehicle weight (up to 40% compared with glass fiber, which
ISSN:1369 7021 Elsevier Science Ltd 2003 Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

accounts for the majority of automotive composites), while
satisfying increasingly stringent environmental criteria.
Much less energy is used in growing, harvesting, and
preparing natural fibers than in producing glass fiber. The
energy of plant fibers has been estimated as some 4 GJ/t,
compared with around 30 GJ/t for glass fiber, which has to
be drawn from a melt at several hundred degrees Celsius,
using raw materials obtained through energy-intensive
mining.
Production of glass (or carbon, aramid, etc.) fibers releases
CO2 into the atmosphere, along with NOx and SOx gases
and dust, which can be a health hazard. Dust and fragments
are generated when recycling conventional plastic
composites by grinding them down, and remain an issue
during disposal either to landfill or by incineration. In
contrast, the use of natural fibers can minimize harmful
pollutants, and their eventual breakdown is environmentally
benign. The environmental impacts that remain can be
reduced by choosing crops and farming methods that
economize on fuel, fertilizer, and pesticide, together with
efficient extraction and treatment systems. Natural fibers
emit less CO2 when they break down than is absorbed
during plant growth. They are nonirritating and nonabrasive,
and do not blunt manufacturing tools or processing
equipment. Fiber-producing crops (Fig. 1) are easy to grow
and could take up marginally used agricultural capacity in
developed countries.
Fig. 1 Hemp and wheat crops. Usable stem material comprises fibers made up of
cellulose cells bound together with pectin and lignin. (Courtesy of The Eden
Project.)
APPLICATIONS FEATURE
Nor are the benefits of natural fibers just environmental.
Potential physical advantages are illustrated by some work
carried out by the UKs Loughborough University on hemp
fiber reinforcement of phenolic resin1. Phenolics are used in
transport applications requiring fire resistance. By introducing
a two-layer nonwoven hemp mat into the resin, researchers
at the universitys Institute of Polymer Technology and
Materials Engineering more than doubled panel flexural
strength (from 11 MPa to 25 MPa) and improved stiffness by
23%. Impact resistance of unreinforced phenolic, which tends
to be brittle, was markedly improved by the hemp
reinforcement since the fibers help dissipate impact forces
into the matrix. A ductility index improvement from 3.77 to
2.58 also emphasized the rise in toughness. The introduction
of the hemp mat also reduced the number and sizes of voids
formed in the composite during the cure of the
thermosetting resin because the naturally hydrophilic fibers
absorb moisture produced by the cure reaction.
Generations of seamen prized the
tensile strength of coir, sisal, flax,
jute, kapok, and other natural
fibers in ropes and sails.
Such enhancement seems less surprising when one recalls
the generations of seamen who prized the tensile strengths of
coir, sisal, flax, jute, kapok, and other natural fibers in the
ropes and sails of their vessels. Automotive manufacturers,
too, have utilized these properties for years in interior mats,
felts, and textiles. Moreover, natural fiber reinforced plastics
(NFRPs) have been in production vehicles for almost a
decade, Mercedes Benz having set the precedent in 1994 by
using jute reinforced plastic for the interior door panels of its
E-Class vehicles (Fig. 2). Jute, like hemp, grows well in Europe
and is one of several agricultural crops that has a particularly
fibrous bast, or outer sheath to the stems analogous to tree
bark. Because the long, strong bast fibers lie somewhere
between woodstocks and E-glass (the most commonly used
form of glass fiber) in terms of the mechanical properties,
they can substitute for either.
Glass fiber substitution, especially for car interior items
like door panels, parcel shelves, and headliners where
conventional composites represent over-engineered solutions,
offers a promising way forward. Vehicle manufacturers and
April 2003 37
 APPLICATIONS FEATURE

Fig. 2 Flax/polypropylene underbody components have replaced glass fiber reinforced plastic components in vehicles such as the Mercedes Benz A-Class. (Courtesy of Mercedes Benz.)

their suppliers who have adopted NFRPs have noted that, in
addition to their high strength and stiffness per weight
(Table 1) and environmental virtues, the materials have other
benefits too. These include acoustic insulation, easier health
and safety management, rapid production by compression or
injection molding, and potentially lower cost.
The fibers cannot be used in their natural state, however.
Basic cellulose fibers must be separated out from the pectin
resin that connects them to the woody core of the stem by
dew retting. Hemicellulose, which accounts for much of the
moisture absorption, and lignin, which connects individual
fiber cells, are then removed by hydrothermolysis or alkali
extraction. An alternative to retting, which also removes
some of the hemicellulose and lignin from green harvested
flax, is the Duralin method developed by Ceres BV in the
Netherlands. Duralin fibers produced when flax straw is
steamed, dried, and cured are more moisture resistant and
durable than untreated fibers, as well as partially separated.
Another fiber separation method is steam explosion, used
after traditional dew retting. This also expands the fibers,
giving them a bigger surface area for bonding with the
matrix. Separated fibers usually need drying first, however, to
about 2-3% moisture level.
Fibers for higher grade applications require a surface
modification treatment, such as acetylization2, to enhance
adhesion with the thermoplastic. Alternatively, if the resin is
the widely favored PP, fibers can be modified with maleic
anhydride-treated polypropylene molecules (MAPP). Even a

Table 1 Comparison of properties of various natural and synthetic fibres. (Source: Qinetiq.)
Fiber Specific Tensile Specific Tensile Specific Cost
gravity strength strength modulus modulus ratio
g.cm-3 GPa GPa/g.cm-3 GPa GPa/g.cm-3
Spruce 0.60 0.98-1.77 1.63-2.95 10-80 17-133 1
pulp
Sisal 1.20 0.08-0.50 0.07-0.42 3-98 3-82 1
Flax 1.20 2.00 1.60 85 71 1.5
E-glass 2.60 3.50 1.35 72 28 3
Kevlar 49 1.44 3.90 2.71 131 91 18
Carbon 1.75 3.00 1.71 235 134 30
(standard)

38 April 2003

tiny percentage of MAPP in water greatly strengthens the
resulting composite. After the fiber is brought together with
the thermoplastic, the resin may need degassing to expel any
air introduced along with the fibers. Consolidated material
can be made into NFRP mats, woven fabric, film, prepregs
(fiber forms pre-impregnated with resin, which are then
partially cured), and other material forms suitable for
fabrication.
NFRPs are already well established in Europe, which is
ahead of North America in the development and adoption of
biocomposites. Alain Coquet, product marketing manager for
Visteon Automotive Systems, a supplier that compression
molds thousands of NFRP components every year for Ford,
Citron, and other OEMs, estimates this lead to be eight
years. The European [NFRP] market is largely flax-driven,
explains Coquet. Its an increasingly industrial product and
there are growers who can deliver fibers of consistent quality
in the volumes we want. The crop is very green, grown with
minimal use of chemicals or pesticides, and produces good
fibers. Flax/PP is recyclable, and we can use 100% ground
recyclate in new injection molded components. Costs of
finished components compare with those of glass fiber
reinforced plastic equivalents.
Visteon has, with partner Technilin, developed its own
flax/PP material based on a low-cost fiber. Meeting a very
high specification from Opel, including critical safety
requirements, the R-Flax material can be used for interior
items such as door panels, where its aesthetic qualities can
even add to consumer appeal. Resistant to scratching and
ultraviolet degradation, R-Flax requires no finishing
treatment and is available in six basic molded-in colors and
up to 150 shades. Visteon expects that the material,
validated for two years and now ready for production, will
capture a significant share of the market for stylish interior
components.
Going structural
But Coquet, along with many motor industry colleagues,
anticipates that NFRPs will not be limited to nonstructural
roles in vehicle interiors for long. He believes that these
materials, which are already comparable to para-aramids for
strength and can potentially reduce the weight of automotive
composites by 40%, must have structural applications as
well. Despite current major improvements in glass fiber, he is
confident that NFRPs, which are early in their evolutionary
APPLICATIONS FEATURE
cycle and have great scope for further development, will one
day offer equal mechanical properties.
So far, the disadvantages of natural fiber composites have
prevented this. As far back as 1935, researchers hoping to
replace steel in automobile bodies with paper, wood chips, or
other natural fiber reinforced phenolic resin materials found
that these composites were not strong enough. The German
Trabant car utilizing such materials ultimately proved
unsuccessful. The impact strength of NFRPs is particularly
poor, as is their fire resistance. Unmodified fibers are easily
damaged and weakened during handling or processing.
Composite quality can be marred by poor fiber-matrix
coupling because naturally hydrophilic fibers do not bond
well with thermoplastics and other resins. Low thermal
tolerance rules out certain manufacturing processes normally
used with composites. Fibers degrade too readily, something
that can occur during compounding and molding as well as in
service. When they break down, the material may smell
unpleasant. Rotting is accelerated by the fibers tendency to
attract moisture, which causes them to swell.
Agricultural and commercial barriers to establishing a
viable supply chain also have to be overcome. In particular,
price, fiber characteristics, and quality may vary substantially,
depending on cultivation conditions and agricultural policies.
Motor industry experts anticipate
that natural fiber reinforced
plastics will not be limited to
nonstructural roles in vehicle
interiors for long.
Coquet, however, says that all these issues can be
addressed. For example, a process adapted from the textile
industry and used by Visteon to white or degrease the fibers
claims to avoid the problems of moisture uptake, odor, and
fiber wetting. The companys use of a needling system to
create the mat, rather than stitching or weaving, enhances
the materials stiffness. Furthermore, Coquet and other
industry insiders hold great hopes for current research
initiatives aimed at improving fiber processing characteristics
and durability.
Visteon is a partner in one of these, the collaborative
Biomat project funded by the UKs Department for
April 2003 39
 APPLICATIONS FEATURE
Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), which aims to
enhance the performance of plant fibers for use in injection
moldable thermoplastic composites. The project is led by
Robert West at Qinetiq, previously the UKs Defence
Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), one of Europes
largest science and technology solutions providers. West is
positive that NFRPs will make the transition from low-grade
nonstructural applications into fully structural components.
The search for durable, ecologically-sound materials is
prominent, he says, and we hope to see early adoption of a
technology that could support the automotive industry in its
efforts to meet green goals.
During the four-year program, which officially commenced
in December last year, researchers will investigate a class of
molecules developed by Qinetiq that appear to be superior to
MAPP and other fiber-matrix coupling agents. They will
explore promising compatibilizers based on novel silane
chemistries. Silanes could improve durability, it is suggested,
by promoting direct C-Si bonding rather than the usual, more
hydrolyzable C-O-Si bonds. Researchers will also experiment
with ultrasonic means to separate fibers from pectin and
lignin resins.
Other Biomat partners include the BioComposites Centre
at the University of Wales, Bangor; injection molder Birkbys
Fig.3 The Model U Ford hybrid-electric car makes extensive use of recyclable composites.
Corn-based materials are used in the interior roof fabric and floor matting, while soy and
corn-derived resins replace carbon black in the tires. The synthetic polyester used to cover
seats and door panels can also be recycled back to an identical polyester.
(Courtesy of Ford Motor Company.)
40 April 2003
Plastics Ltd; design specialists Engenuity Ltd and Premier
Engineering Solutions Ltd; hemp grower Hemcore Ltd and
flax grower BioFiber Ltd; and AEI Compounds Ltd. Project
teams will assess various forms of flax and hemp fiber, as
well as coppiced willow processed by the BioComposites
Centre. The latter organization will, with AEI Compounds,
evaluate material properties and develop processes, while
Qinetiq and Birkbys Plastics will manage the injection
molding studies. Engenuity and Premier Engineering Solutions
will contribute design studies and stress analyses. Visteon
will be heavily involved, particularly during the later stages of
the program.
Task groups will explore gentle processes, such as rubber
milling, for consolidating fibers into matrix resins without
damaging them. Methods for blending the material phases
ready for injection molding, including roll mill, co-kneader,
and twin-screw contra-rotating compounders, will be
compared. Fiber qualities at every stage from cultivation
through fiber extraction and treatment to component
manufacture will be evaluated. An important deliverable will
be an integrated set of mechanical property, fire resistance,
water uptake, and durability parameters that will enable
users to have high confidence in the behavior of these
materials. Towards the end of the project, knowledge gained
will be utilized in the manufacture of a large demonstration
structural component, which will then be subjected to
running trials in a Ford production car (Fig. 3).
Aspects of NFRP processing are a major research focus
elsewhere. For example, the Centre of Lightweight Structures
at the Technische Universiteit Delft has sought to adapt glass
fiber reinforced plastic processing techniques for use with
natural fibers3,4. One consideration is how to subdue springy
natural fibers when constructing the preforms for subsequent
use in fabrication by resin transfer molding, vacuum infusion,
vacuum pressing, and similar processes. New binders have
been developed for this purpose. Because of their tendency to
stick together, natural fibers are harder to chop and scatter
onto resin film than glass fibers when preparing prepreg
materials so, once again, existing methods have to be
modified. Researchers at the center have compared
properties of natural fiber sheet molding compound (SMC)
with widely used glass-based SMCs (Table 2). Results are
encouraging when long fibers are used, but impact strength
remains a point of vulnerability. The research has been
carried out under the Dutch Biolicht R&D program, which has
 APPLICATIONS FEATURE

Table 2 Comparison of properties of sheet molding compounds produced from glass (two different volume fractions) and natural fiber (two different fiber
diameters). (Source: Centre of Lightweight Structures.)
SMC Glass SMC Glass SMC Flax SMC Flax SMC
20% wt. cont. 40% wt. cont. 21% wt. cont. 21% wt. cont.
(Vf = 15%) (Vf = 31%) (Vf = 22%) (Vf = 22%)
fibers 6.25 mm fibers 25 mm
E-modulus (GPa) 8.5 10.5 7 11

Tensile strength (MPa) 95 130 40 80

Flexural modulus (GPa) 10 13.5 7 13

Flexural strength (MPa) 125 240 83 144

Impact strength (KJ/m2) 50 85 11 22

also resulted in experimental fabrication of semistructural
parts such as a ventilator housing made from SMC containing
21% by volume of flax.
Much research is focused on interfacial properties. In the
recent FLAXComp project financed by the Flemish
Government in Belgium, a combined treatment of fibers with
alkali and diluted resin improved adhesion between fibers and
epoxy thermoset (in this case) to the extent that interlaminar
shear strength was doubled5. This resulted in 250% and
500% improvements in composite strength and modulus,
respectively, in the transverse direction, while longitudinally
strength increased by 40% and the modulus by 60%. Isabel
Van de Weyenberg, principal researcher in the Composite
Materials Group at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,
concluded that natural fibers, despite their limitations, have a
bright future in composites if present research momentum is
maintained.
Mark Hughes from the BioComposites Centre is also
confident about the structural possibilities of NFRPs,
especially those reinforced with long fibers. Their extremely
low weight, with high specific strength and stiffness, will win
out, he says. Their Youngs modulus values can compare
with those of glass, strength is adequate for many
applications, and their low conductivity can be an advantage.
We have shown over the last several years that properties
acceptable for semistructural applications, where perhaps
impact strength is not so important, can be delivered
already. Natural fibers offer their own specific technical

Fig. 4 Half fringe photoelasticity (HFP), a form of quantitative birefringence analysis, is one technique used by the BioComposites Centre at the University of Wales, Bangor, to
nondestructively investigate effects of fiber damage on the interfacial behavior of fiber-reinforced composites. (a) Shows the localized birefringence pattern, under plane polarized light,
seen in the epoxy matrix of a strained single filament hemp fiber composite where fiber fracture has occurred. (b) Shows the birefringence pattern observed in a similar composite during a
fragmentation test. (Courtesy of BioComposites Centre, University of Wales.)

April 2003 41
 APPLICATIONS FEATURE
Fig.5 Side panels on John Deere hay balers incorporate polyurethane resins derived from
corn and soy beans. (Courtesy of John Deere and Co.)
properties; they are not simply a cheap alternative to
glass.
Admitting that low fracture toughness remains a
weakness, Hughes says the BioComposites Centre is involved
in the drive to develop physical, chemical, and morphological
modifications of fibers to improve their synergy with matrix
resins6. Surface chemistries can, he asserts, be manipulated
to add binding or other functionalities. The center
collaborates with Warwick Universitys Manufacturing Group
in the promotion of sustainable materials. Both are members
of the Sustainable Composites Network, set up two years ago
to bring together all parties in the supply/use chain, from
growers through processors and research bodies to vehicle
Fig. 6 These modern door inner trim panels are molded using mats of 60% natural fiber in a Baypreg polyurethane resin. (Courtesy of Bayer Polymers.)
42 April 2003
manufacturers, in a common forum. Among the avenues
being explored within the network are the possibilities for
plant-derived resins.
Bioresins too
In the move towards biocomposites, the greatest attention
has been paid to fibers since these contribute most of a
composites stiffness and strength. But to meet
environmental aims fully, matrix resins will need to be
bioderived too. Significant developments are taking place in
this arena too.
Well ahead of the field is agricultural machinery giant John
Deere and Co., who last year introduced a side panel based
on a new bioresin for the Deere 50-Series hay baler. The
factorys entire line of hay balers now includes styling panels
and cab roofs made with HarvestForm a durable
composite that comprises soybean and corn-based polymer
resins (Fig. 5). Deere claims that the corn/soy combination
brings strength, flexibility, corrosion resistance, and
endurance to the panels, which weigh 25% less than steel.
HarvestForm utilizes a polyurethane-type resin developed
by Urethane Soy Systems Corporation (USSC). As Tom Kurth,
USCCs president, explains, SoyOyl is made from soybean
oil, which is a natural replacement for petroleum oil. End
products made with these oils have virtually the same
characteristics, and are equal in performance. The biggest
difference is that SoyOyl products can be produced for less
than standard petroleum-based products.

Deere tested the new material extensively to prove
durability and performance. A prototype panel fabricated by
Contemporary Products, Inc. of Milwaukee, weighing 11 kg
and measuring 2.4 x 0.9 m, was structurally comparable to a
metal version (albeit thicker) and could be produced by resin
transfer molding at considerably lower cost than a standard
pressed and machined metal equivalent. Although current
matrix products contain preservatives, future bioresins could
be engineered to degrade in the presence of certain triggers,
to meet 21st century requirements for controlled
degradability.
The creation of low- and high-performance polyurethanes
from soy has benefited from research carried out at the
University of Delaware under the Affordable Composites
from Renewable Sources (ACRES) program7. The ACRES
program, a multidisciplinary effort encompassing genetic
engineering and composites manufacturing science under the
direction of Richard Wool, is pursuing chemical techniques to
enhance the structures of soy-based liquid molding.
Moreover, although the composite panels produced by Deere
currently utilize glass fiber reinforcement rather than natural
fiber, ACRES researchers have produced full biocomposites
incorporating natural fibers such as flax, hemp, and even
chicken feathers.
In late 2001, the US Department of Energy awarded an
$11 million grant (over four years) to the ACRES program
under the umbrella of the Affordable Resins and Adhesives
from Optimized Soybean Varieties (ARA) program. The ARA
mission is to promote the widespread use of composites,
resins, and adhesives made from renewable resources.
Researchers are developing low-cost resins and adhesives
REFERENCES
1. Richardson, M., and Zhang, Z., Nonwoven Hemp Reinforced Composites.
Reinforced Plastics, (April 2001)
2. Hill, C. A. S., et al., Industrial Crops and Products (2000) 8 (1), 53
3. Centre of Lightweight Structures, www.clc.tno.nl
4. Pott, G. T., et al., Upgraded natural fibres for polymer composites. In: Euromat
97 (1997) 2, 107
5. Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit
Leuven, Belgium, www.mtm.kuleuven.ac.be
6. Hughes, M., et al., Composite Interfaces (2000), 7 (1), 13
7. Technical Report CCM 01-01, www-test.ccm.udel.edu/research/acres
APPLICATIONS FEATURE
from soy; studying the structure functionality of soy oil and
proteins at molecular and genomic levels; and working to
identify key structures and DNA markers that can be used to
develop suitable soybean varieties both in terms of
performance and processing. Results are expected to benefit
several sectors ranging from automotive to hurricane-
resistant housing. As well as the University of Delaware,
research partners include Kansas State University, the
National Germplasm Resources Laboratory (US Department
of Agriculture), Sandia National Laboratory, and the United
Soybean Board. Industrial partners include Ashland Inc., Cara
Plastics, Inc., and North Central Kansas Processors.
The most environmentally friendly
thing you can do for a car that
burns gasoline is to make lighter
bodies (Henry Ford)
In presentations that Wool, ACRES director, gives to
interested parties, he shows a 1938 photograph of Henry
Ford demonstrating the resilience of a fiberglass car body by
taking an axe to it. The resin used in the composite was soy-
based. Ford, believing that the most environmentally
friendly thing you can do for a car that burns gasoline is to
make lighter bodies, had hoped to shift from steel to lower-
weight materials. He had even targeted biocomposites, but
progress was halted by World War II.
Now, at last, Fords dream of fully recyclable vehicle
structures constructed from biodegradable plant-derived
materials could be coming true. MT
FURTHER READING
i. Sebe, G., et al., RTM hemp fibre-reinforced composite automotive components.
Presented at: Automotive Components Workshop, Brands Hatch, UK, (1998)
ii. The Textile Consultancy. The use of natural fibres in nonwoven structures for
applications as automotive component substrates, MAFF, UK, 2000
April 2003 43