INVESTIGATION OF ADVANCED COMPOSITE MATERIALS FOR LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS IN AEROSPACE APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The aerospace industry’s pursuit of lightweight, high-performance materials has led to increased interest in advanced composite materials, particularly carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) and hybrid composites. This study investigates the mechanical properties, environmental durability, and cost-effectiveness of CFRPs, glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRPs), and hybrid composites for use in lightweight aerospace structural components. Comprehensive testing was conducted to assess tensile strength, flexural strength, impact resistance, environmental degradation, and non-destructive internal integrity. The results revealed CFRPs surpassed GFRPs and hybrid composites in aerospace applications because they delivered higher tensile strength at 1800 MPa as well as better impact resistance at 300 J/m².  Hybrid composites reached a tensile strength level of 1500 MPa and impact resistance of 400 J/m² resulting in equivalent performance to each other yet GFRPs did not show suitable outcomes in mechanical tests or environmental durability assessments.  Aging durability tests showed that CFRP and hybrid composites maintained their tensile strength within 5% and 7% but GFRP experienced a 20% weakness.  Non-destructive testing of CFRP components showed better reliability because it detected lower numbers of internal defects.  The initial expense of GFRPs proves reasonable because these materials deliver superior performance throughout an extended lifespan although they are priced competitively regarding raw materials together with production expenses.  Research shows that hybrid composites offer a suitable substitution for high-performance aircraft components next to CFRPs with superior cost-performance values.  A valuable material assessment system for aerospace applications becomes essential due to this research which reveals the need for balancing performance durability and cost-effectiveness in selection processes.