APPLICATIONS OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS WITH NATURAL FIBERS AND BIOPLASTIC MATRICES IN AUTOMOTIVE

The paper focuses on summarizing the application possibilities of composite materials with natural reinforcements and bioplastic matrices in the automotive. The first section describes composite materials with natural reinforcements and the key reasons for their use. Within the text, the abbreviation NFRB-P is introduced to distinguish composite materials with a bioplastic matrix and natural reinforcement. The second section defines the individual components of NFRB-P with an explanation of their advantageous properties and limitations. The third section describes the application of NFRB-P in the automotive industry, focusing on a polylactic acid matrix in combination with flax, hemp, jute and kenaf fibers. In the concluding section, their applications in other domains are concisely outlined, predominantly targeting decorative components and general consumer products. Current published studies focus largely on the properties of NFRB-P materials; however, their practical industrial applications remain limited at present. The present study reflects their actual implementation in the sectors.