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Properties of chemically foamed polypropylene materials for application to automobile interior door panels

  • Sedef Çakır Ayçiçek

    Sedef Çakır Ayçiçekreceived her bachelor’s degree in 2017 and her master’s degree in 2021 from Sakarya University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. She started PhD in 2023 in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Yildiz Technical University. She is working as a project specialist at Istanbul Gedik University now. Her research topics are polymer materials, composite materials, aluminum alloys, and tribology.

         , Neslihan Özsoy

    Dr. Neslihan Özsoy received her bachelor’s degree in 2006, her master’s degree in 2008, and her PhD degree in 2015 in Mechanical Engineering from Sakarya University, Turkey. She is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sakarya University. Her research interests include optimization, mechanics of materials, composite materials, machining, and tribology.

     ORCID logo EMAIL logo     , Muhammet Ayçiçek

    Muhammet Ayçiçek received his bachelor’s degree in 2017 and his master’s degree in 2021 in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Sakarya University. He started PhD in 2022 in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Istanbul Technical University. He is working as materials engineer in the Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Defense. His research interests include lightweight polymers, nano added materials, composite materials, and tribology.

         , Murat Özsoy

    Dr. Murat Özsoy received his bachelor’s degree in 1996 in Mechanical Engineering from Balıkesir University, his master’s degree in 1998, and his Ph.D. degree in 2005 in Mechanical Engineering from Sakarya University, Türkiye. He is currently an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sakarya University. His research interests include CAD, CAM, CAE, and composite materials.

     ORCID logo     , Mert Usta

    Mert Usta received his bachelor’s degree in 2017 from Istanbul Technical University, Department of Manufacturing Engineering. He is working as a senior production engineer at Toyota Boshoku in Turkiye. His research topics are plastic injection molding and project management.

         and Akın Akıncı

    Akın Akıncı received in 1995 the title of Metallurgical Engineer at Sakarya University, Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Program. Between 1997 and 2004, he completed his doctorate studies at Sakarya University, Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Materials Program. During his doctoral studies in 2001, he worked as a researcher at The University of Manchester, Manchester Materials Science Centre, and the Polymer Science and Technology Department in England. He became an assistant professor in 2004, associate professor in 2010, and professor in 2015. He is still a faculty member at Sakarya University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. His research interests include polymer materials, polymer matrix composite (PMC) materials, recycle of polymers and PMC materials, and tribology.
Published/Copyright: December 19, 2023
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Materials Testing
From the journal Materials Testing Volume 66 Issue 2

Abstract

In recent years, alternative approaches have been implemented in the automotive sector to reduce raw material costs and protect the environment. An increase in weight causes both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to rise. This study aims to reduce exhaust emissions due to weight reduction by using foamed polypropylene in the door panel production of a subcompact crossover SUV car and saving energy by shortening the injection cycle time. The newly produced 2 % ITP 822 chemical foaming agent added door panel was compared with the current door panel performances. As a result of foam morphology structure, impact, and hardness tests, it was decided that ITP 822 is a suitable chemical foaming agent. In addition, a weight reduction of 5.2 % was achieved. Moreover, the injection cycle time has been reduced by approximately 12 %, reducing the total cycle time from 35 s to 31 s.

Keywords: lightweight material; polymer foam; mechanical properties; morphology; injection molding
Corresponding author: Neslihan Özsoy, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Türkiye, E-mail:

Funding source: Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu

Award Identifier / Grant number: 5190030

About the authors

Sedef Çakır Ayçiçek

Sedef Çakır Ayçiçekreceived her bachelor’s degree in 2017 and her master’s degree in 2021 from Sakarya University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. She started PhD in 2023 in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Yildiz Technical University. She is working as a project specialist at Istanbul Gedik University now. Her research topics are polymer materials, composite materials, aluminum alloys, and tribology.

Neslihan Özsoy

Dr. Neslihan Özsoy received her bachelor’s degree in 2006, her master’s degree in 2008, and her PhD degree in 2015 in Mechanical Engineering from Sakarya University, Turkey. She is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sakarya University. Her research interests include optimization, mechanics of materials, composite materials, machining, and tribology.

Muhammet Ayçiçek

Muhammet Ayçiçek received his bachelor’s degree in 2017 and his master’s degree in 2021 in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Sakarya University. He started PhD in 2022 in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Istanbul Technical University. He is working as materials engineer in the Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Defense. His research interests include lightweight polymers, nano added materials, composite materials, and tribology.

Murat Özsoy

Dr. Murat Özsoy received his bachelor’s degree in 1996 in Mechanical Engineering from Balıkesir University, his master’s degree in 1998, and his Ph.D. degree in 2005 in Mechanical Engineering from Sakarya University, Türkiye. He is currently an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sakarya University. His research interests include CAD, CAM, CAE, and composite materials.

Mert Usta

Mert Usta received his bachelor’s degree in 2017 from Istanbul Technical University, Department of Manufacturing Engineering. He is working as a senior production engineer at Toyota Boshoku in Turkiye. His research topics are plastic injection molding and project management.

Akın Akıncı

Akın Akıncı received in 1995 the title of Metallurgical Engineer at Sakarya University, Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Program. Between 1997 and 2004, he completed his doctorate studies at Sakarya University, Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Materials Program. During his doctoral studies in 2001, he worked as a researcher at The University of Manchester, Manchester Materials Science Centre, and the Polymer Science and Technology Department in England. He became an assistant professor in 2004, associate professor in 2010, and professor in 2015. He is still a faculty member at Sakarya University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. His research interests include polymer materials, polymer matrix composite (PMC) materials, recycle of polymers and PMC materials, and tribology.

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Author contributions: The authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  3. Competing interests: The authors state no conflict of interest.

  4. Research funding: This study was supported by TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye) (Project No: 5190030).

  5. Data availability: Not applicable.

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Published Online: 2023-12-19
Published in Print: 2024-02-26

© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. User independent tool for the analysis of data from tensile testing for database systems
  3. Evaluation of corrugated core configuration effects on low-velocity impact response in metallic sandwich panels
  4. Effect of total heat input on coaxiality of rotor shaft in laser cladding
  5. Determination of characteristic properties of Co3O4 loaded LaFe x Al12−x O19 hexaaluminates
  6. Investigation on quasi-static axial crushing of Al/PVC foam-filled Al6063-T5 tubes
  7. Experimental analysis of the effects of different production directions on the mechanical characteristics of ABS, PLA, and PETG materials produced by FDM
  8. Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of Si3N4/Invar joints using Ag–Cu–In–Ti with Cu foil as an interlayer
  9. Properties of chemically foamed polypropylene materials for application to automobile interior door panels
  10. Tribological and thermal characteristics of copper-free brake friction composites
  11. Dry tribological behaviour of microwave-assisted sintered AA2024 matrix hybrid composites reinforced by TiC/B4C/nano-graphite particles
  12. Erosion rate of AA6082-T6 aluminum alloy subjected to erosive wear determined by the meta-heuristic (SCA) based ANFIS method
  13. Mechanical properties of elevator ropes and belts exposed to corrosion and elevated temperatures
  14. Variants of friction stir based processes: review on process fundamentals, material attributes and mechanical properties
  15. Performance of conventional and wiper CBN inserts under various cooling conditions in hard turning of AISI 52100 steel
https://doi.org/10.1515/mt-2023-0205
Keywords for this article
lightweight material; polymer foam; mechanical properties; morphology; injection molding

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. User independent tool for the analysis of data from tensile testing for database systems
  3. Evaluation of corrugated core configuration effects on low-velocity impact response in metallic sandwich panels
  4. Effect of total heat input on coaxiality of rotor shaft in laser cladding
  5. Determination of characteristic properties of Co3O4 loaded LaFe x Al12−x O19 hexaaluminates
  6. Investigation on quasi-static axial crushing of Al/PVC foam-filled Al6063-T5 tubes
  7. Experimental analysis of the effects of different production directions on the mechanical characteristics of ABS, PLA, and PETG materials produced by FDM
  8. Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of Si3N4/Invar joints using Ag–Cu–In–Ti with Cu foil as an interlayer
  9. Properties of chemically foamed polypropylene materials for application to automobile interior door panels
  10. Tribological and thermal characteristics of copper-free brake friction composites
  11. Dry tribological behaviour of microwave-assisted sintered AA2024 matrix hybrid composites reinforced by TiC/B4C/nano-graphite particles
  12. Erosion rate of AA6082-T6 aluminum alloy subjected to erosive wear determined by the meta-heuristic (SCA) based ANFIS method
  13. Mechanical properties of elevator ropes and belts exposed to corrosion and elevated temperatures
  14. Variants of friction stir based processes: review on process fundamentals, material attributes and mechanical properties
  15. Performance of conventional and wiper CBN inserts under various cooling conditions in hard turning of AISI 52100 steel
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