Surface treatment of Basalt fiber for use in automotive composites

Balancing the performance, durability and safety requirements of automotive systems with the regulatory landscape in an environment of climate change has accelerated the search for sustainable fiber reinforced polymer composites for automobile structures. Glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (GFRP) are widely used in certain structures like front end modules and liftgate; However, they cannot be used in more demanding applications due to their low mechanical properties. Carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (CFRP) are promising candidates for applications like bonnet, but their use is constrained by cost. Basalt fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites (BFRP) are sustainable materials that can be positioned between GFRP and CFRP in terms of performance and cost-effectiveness. The mechanical performance of the BFRP depend on the quality of the fiber-matrix interface that aids in efficient load transfer from the matrix to the fiber. Typically, basalt fibers are inert in nature and need treatments to improve its adhesion to polymeric matrices. The major chemical treatments that are reviewed in this article include matrix functionalization, silane treatment, functionalized nanomaterial coating and plasma polymerization. The physical treatments reviewed include plasma treatment and milling. It is evident that chemically treating the basalt fiber with a functionalized nanomaterial yields BFRP with a good stiffness - toughness balance that can be used for challenging metal replacements as also in new emerging areas like sensing and 3D printing. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.