Presentation of Biocomposites for Proposal for Use in Car Bumpers

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Car bumpers are protective structures for the occupants of a vehicle during a collision, absorbing impact energy, such a structure is located at the front and rear of the vehicle. Metals were used to manufacture the first bumpers, and it was subsequently assessed that using a different material would reduce their weight, for example plastic, resulting in increased fuel economy and impact absorption. Also, the use of polymers reinforced by glass fibers offer good mechanical strength. This work evaluates the replacement of conventional materials by an ecologically more viable alternative, natural fibers as plastic reinforcement, reducing costs, without considerable loss in the material mechanical properties. Specimens of reinforced composite material were produced with jute fiber. The fibers, obtained through fabrics, were standardized in length of 5.0 mm and 15.0 mm. The matrix phase applied was the unsaturated and pre-accelerated terephthalic polyester resin manufactured by Royal Polymers, and the catalyst MEK V388 was applied to accelerate the material curing process. The production technique was manual lamination from silicone molds with dimensions specified by ASTM D638. The specimens were subjected to tensile strength tests to determine their mechanical properties. The tensile strength of composites with fibers of 5.0 mm and 15.0 mm were: 17.59 (± 4.69) MPa and 21.17 (± 6.42) MPa, respectively. In addition, the appearance and profile of the fracture surface after the tensile test are presented in this work.</div></div>