Mechanical Response of Fiber-Filled Automotive Body Panels Manufactured with the Ku-Fizz(TM) Microcellular Injection Molding Process

To maximize the driving range and minimize the associated energy needs and, thus, the number of batteries of electric vehicles, OEMs have adopted lightweight materials, such as long fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, and new processes, such as microcellular injection molding. These components must withstand specific loading conditions that occur during normal operation. Their mechanical response depends on the fiber and foam microstructures, which in turn are defined by the fabrication process. In this work, long fiber thermoplastic door panels were manufactured using the Ku-Fizz(TM) microcellular injection molding process and were tested for their impact resistance, dynamic properties, and vibration response. Material constants were compared to the properties of unfoamed door panels. The changes in mechanical behavior were explained through the underlying differences in their respective microstructures. The specific storage modulus and specific elastic modulus of foamed components were within 10% of their unfoamed counterparts, while specific absorbed energy was 33% higher for the foamed panel by maintaining the panel’s mass/weight.