Composite materials have excellent properties such as high strength, high modulus, high stiffness, high wear resistance, low density, chemical resistance and low creep, making them very suitable for use in automotive parts, aircraft structures and other structural parts in the transportation field.
According to the report on the global transportation composite material market (such as aviation, highway, railway, waterway, etc.) released by Research & Markets on July 2, the global transportation composite material market is expected to grow from 33.2 billion US dollars in 2020 to 2025. At US$59.8 billion, the compound annual growth rate from 2020 to 2025 is 12.5%.
The resin transfer molding process has the largest share of the global market. Resin transfer molding is a vacuum-assisted resin transfer process. Its advantage is that it can increase the fiber to resin ratio and has excellent strength and weight characteristics. It is mainly used to form components with large surface area, complex shapes and smooth finish. This process is used in the production of aircraft and automobile structures, such as powertrain components and external components.
In terms of specific application areas, interior structure applications are expected to dominate the market. During the forecast period, internal structure applications are estimated to be the largest part of the transportation composites market. The road industry is one of the main consumers of composite interior applications, which is mainly driven by the use of composite materials in automobiles; and due to its excellent strength and low weight, the demand for thermoplastic composite materials for aircraft interior components continues Growth, which is driving the market for internal applications. In addition, the railway sector is also one of the main contributors to the increase in demand for composite materials in the internal application field.
In terms of specific reinforcing fiber types, carbon fiber is estimated to be the fastest growing reinforcing fiber. The fastest growth of carbon fiber is attributed to the increasing use of carbon fiber composite materials in the automotive sector. Because the performance of carbon fiber composite materials is better than that of glass fiber composite materials, it is adopted by the aerospace, defense and automotive industries. Carbon fiber is twice as strong as glass fiber and 30% lighter. In automotive applications, its application began in racing competitions, because it not only reduces the weight of the vehicle, but the high strength and high rigidity of its monocoque frame also ensure the safety of the driver. Because it also has anti-collision properties, carbon fiber can be used for all structural components in F1 cars.
In terms of transportation, it is expected that the field of road transportation will be the fastest growing type of composite materials. Because composite materials have the advantages of flexible design, corrosion resistance, flexibility, low maintenance cost, and long service life, composite materials can be used in various automotive applications, including automobiles, military vehicles, buses, commercial vehicles, and racing cars. Fiberglass composite materials are commonly used for interior and exterior components in automotive applications. The lightweight performance and high strength of composite materials reduce vehicle weight and fuel consumption, and enable OEMs to comply with strict environmental regulations.
In terms of matrix type, thermoplastics are expected to become the fastest growing resin field. Compared with thermosetting resin, the main advantage of thermoplastic resin as a matrix material is that its composite material can be reshaped and the composite material formed is easy to recycle. In the molding of composite materials, different types of thermoplastic resins can be used as matrix materials. The use of thermoplastic composite materials can easily produce complex material shapes. Since they can be stored at room temperature, they can also be used to make large structures.