Materials Chemistry Issues Related to Advanced Materials Applications in the Automotive Industry

The driving force behind the research on advanced materials has largely been aerospace and defense applications. In such applications the customer-induced limitations and infrastructural economic factors are secondary to the application-oriented parameters. Automobiles, on the other hand, represent the primary consumers of advanced materials in civilian applications. Automobiles are high-technology, low-cost machines which need to be robust for various climatic conditions and driver behavior. Advanced materials play an important role in the design and fabrication of various components of automobiles, and the use of new materials continues to increase. Recent interest in developing highly fuel efficient vehicles with low emissions has focused efforts toward materials, designs, and devices and is spurring research into advanced materials for weight reduction. The goal is to achieve fuel efficiency by weight reduction and a more efficient powertrain. In this review article, we summarize the efforts of the 1970s and the 1980s on the development of ceramic gas turbine engines with emphasis on materials processing and properties. This is followed by a discussion of metal−matrix composites and reinforced plastics, the structural materials of current interest. The materials issues related to automotive exhaust reduction catalysts are discussed since materials continue to play an important role in designing catalysts to meet the new EPA regulations. The understanding of materials chemistry is expected to play an important role in designing new materials and developing new processes that can be used economically to mass produce vehicle components. We also summarize reports based on ceramic precursor technology and sol−gel processes that show promise in the fabrication of automotive components.