Polymer nanocomposites for automotive applications

The advancement of modern construction and vehicle components for the automotive sector requires the development of novel robust and lightweight materials as well as the design of new products. Polymeric nanocomposite, a new type of composite material, has been found to have superior mechanical and thermal characteristics. The automobile industry has invested considerable effort over the last few decades in developing lightweight components using innovative, easy-to-process polymeric nanocomposites. These materials have garnered a great deal of research interest owing to their prospect for diverse applications such as fuel economy, pollution control, energy storage, transportation and safety, sensing and actuation, electromagnetic absorption, etc. This chapter covers the usage of various polymer nanocomposites, which are novel types of multiphase materials that incorporate nanofibers, nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanosilica, nanoclays, and other nanosized filler elements and nanocomposites dispersed inside polymer matrices in the context of modern automotive industries. Because of the nanosize characteristics and very high-volume surface ratios of polymer composites, the multifunctional capabilities in the case of optical, mechanical, electrical, magnetic, thermal, and other physiochemical properties of its composite counterparts are unique and are not shared with the typical microsized fillers. The chapter primarily focuses on how to use polymer nanocomposites for automobile tire manufacturing, for the preparation of automobile paint and scratch-resistant transparent coatings, as well as for producing lightweight automotive body parts for improved efficiency. The chapter also explores the utilization of green fillers (nanofibrillated cellulose, nanocrystals of cellulose, and natural fibers) as reinforcement in polymeric nanocomposites for the automotive sector.