Transport applications represent the largest single end-use market for technical textiles.

Products range from carpeting and seating, through tyres, tubes and ventilation hoses, nets and grids, filters, conveyor belts, safety belts, upholstery, carpets and coverings, insulating materials, air-bags, composite reinforcements for automotive or aircraft bodies, battery separators and protective car covers, amongst others.

The challenges of textile materials in the automotive and aeronautic sectors

For the automotive and aeronautic sectors, the main challenges focus on the integration of new fibre and yarn functionalities incorporating new ones such as the integration of natural based fibres and textiles and structures into and onto structural composite components, with emphasis on the integration of ICT and ubiquitous sensing and actuation functionalities to develop new interactive surfaces and new self-lighting surfaces textile structures. Additional challenges will focus on the optimization of comfort via the integration of new textile fibres and structures with enhanced thermal performance, breathability and enhanced surface technologies using sustainable processes for self-cleaning, UV (Ultraviolet) and IR (Infrared) reflection properties. Further challenges will focus on the development of new 3D textiles for reinforcement structures for composite components and parts.

Leader: Dr. Raul Fangueiro

Coleader: Dr. Dorin Ionesi