ABSTRACT
The automotive industry is always in search of innovative materials that can reduce the weight of a vehicle without sacrificing performance. Automobile weight reduction is beneficial for consumers since lighter vehicles have a higher fuel economy, which decreases fuel costs over the lifetime of a vehicle. Weight reductions can also lower manufacturing costs for the automotive industry since lighter vehicles can use a smaller engine and have lighter wheels. "Lightweighting" can also be beneficial in auto-racing since a lightweight car can attain a higher maximum speed and requires less time to accelerate and decelerate to the desired speed. Research in thermoset foams, for automotive applications, aims to improve the mechanical properties without increases in weight. Foam properties can be tailored to suit various applications by either modifying the molecular structure of the base polymer or modifying the morphological characteristics such as cell size and foam density.
