Design of non-structural components for marine engines based on nano-engineered thermoplastic polymers

Metallic alloys play the leading role in marine engine construction. Yet, under the compelling goal of reducing cost and weights, this industrial sector is in constant need of new, high-performance materials for the production of marine engine non-structural components. In this respect, nano-engineered thermoplastic polymers are ideal alternatives, allowing for additional benefits (e.g., simplified maintenance and inspection operations). The use of these materials in marine engine design requires computer multiscale simulations to tailor-fit their molecular structure in order to achieve the expected performances required by specific, advanced functions. Importantly, replacing metal alloys with plastic-based materials also contributes to environmental sustainability, in terms of both component production process and recyclability. The introduction of non-structural plastic components in marine engines constitutes a major innovation in the field; thus, a specific rule framework must be still defined. Under this perspective, starting from the analysis of the rule framework currently used for metallic alloys, in this paper a certification procedure is proposed and applied to a case study: a four-stroke marine engine plastic cylinder head cover for which the mechanical properties of the new material have been predicted and verified trough multiscale simulations carried out on the relevant model.