德比大学招收制造工程博士
About the Project
The UK has set up a statuary target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. In response to this mission, the railway industry continuously seeks to reduce energy consumption and decrease the emission of harmful gasses. One way to achieve this is through light-weighting vehicle structures, i.e., bodies, frames, and interiors.
Besides the reduction in emissions, however, recycling and reuse are other key concerns for the rail industry. For example, companies like Network Rail are aiming to reuse, recycle or redeploy all non-hazardous infrastructure materials by 2029. Thus, it is no longer sufficient to carry out light weighting using traditional glass or carbon fibre-reinforced thermoset polymers (FRP) which are very difficult and expensive to recycle.
Therefore, researchers are continuously striving for innovations to replace glass fibres and thermosets resin with more eco-friendly materials. Natural fibres (flax, hemp, bamboo, ramie etc.) being biodegradable, light in weight and environmentally friendly are good candidates for train application.
The literature revealed that the mechanical properties of natural fibre composites are comparable to conventional glass fibre composites, yet their carbon footprint is about 50% lower. A liquid Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) thermoplastic resin, Elium® (ARKEMA), has been recently developed, which can be processed similarly to thermoset resins, i.e., through resin infusion.
In recent years there has been considerable interest in exploring the use of nano-fibres and nanoparticles for performance enhancement of composites. While several potential constituent materials are available, determining the best combinations with relevant manufacturing parameters is required, and so is the validation and comparison of the performance under complex practical loading environments such as impact, fatigue, and creep.
Funding Notes
£18,622 stipend per year (for 3 years) plus UK Home tuition fees (£4,712)
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