Mechanical and vibrational characteristics of MacPherson strut composite bearing units based on short carbon fiber/polyamide 66

Abstract

MacPherson strut bearing units (MSBUs) were fabricated with short carbon fiber/polyamide 66 by injection molding. The mechanical and vibrational characteristics of MSBUs were analyzed. The results showed that tensile specimens using carbon fibers showed increased strength and stiffness compared to those using glass fibers. In injection-molded MSBUs, there is a good degree of dispersion of the carbon fibers in the polymer matrix, and the fibers are observed to have good interfacial bonding with the matrix This is guaranteed by microstructures and enhanced tensile strength in comparison with that of glass fibers. In addition, the use of carbon fibers led to a decrease in the weight of the MSBUs. A modal test showed that natural frequencies of the product were beyond the excitation frequency range generally applied to an automotive vehicle, and durability was not a problem even during an excitation experiment of 1000 000 cycles. Through the above analysis, the combination of carbon fibers and polyamide 66 can be a solution for MSBUs to provide better mechanical performance and light weight.