Short Fiber Preform Technology for Automotive Part Production

The STTR effort will evaluate an aligned, short carbon fiber (CF) material called Tailorable Universal Feedstock for Forming (TuFF) for forming of complex geometry preforms, assess process and material challenges and demonstrate mechanical properties using Wet Compression Molding. TuFF material has demonstrated highly aligned, high fiber volume fraction (~50‐60%) components with full continuous fiber property translation and in‐plane extension allowing complex geometry forming at rates required by the automotive market. In Phase I, CA developed a stabilized TuFF fabric with CF from waste stream sources and similar forming characteristics as metal. Phase II will include recycled fibers, scale the technology, demonstrate the approach on an automotive component and validate the cost model. We will leverage tooling and designs developed in a current EERE door program to demonstrate rate production using infusion technology. The project will demonstrate lightweight automotive composite part production with zero scrap through reuse of scrap fibers in the alignment process. The transformational benefits of the technology are the ability to 1) achieve metal‐like forming of TuFF preforms up to 50% without loss of material integrity allowing net‐shape preforming, 2) enables a near‐zero waste process with full recovery and reuse of CFs equivalent to metal recycling, and 3) the potential for recycled/waste stream CFs into structural parts with reduced cost and improved embodied energy efficiency. The proposed study changes the paradigm for automotive composites from adapting expensive aerospace technology to developing new CF materials that can be formed like metals, and reused/recycled like metals. The innovation will influence vehicle mass production strategies and lead to reduced part cost and environmental impact (Green House Gases of lightweight vehicles, embodied energy) of composite structures. The opportunity to integrate lower cost recycled or waste stream short CFs to produce a low‐ cost, energy‐efficient but high‐performance composite material for large‐volume applications is significant. We will demonstrate a CF material with similar forming characteristic as metal at a price point of $10 per pound that is significantly lower than existing continuous CFC part costs with a potential 90% reduction in embodied energy through the use of recycled carbon fibers. Price reduction will be driven by part consolidation, material cost reduction due to lower part weight and fiber cost (potential use of waste/recycled fibers), and rapid, automated manufacturing approaches that leverage existing metal production methods.