Characterisation of recycled plastics for automotive radar applications at 77 GHz
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Program
Communication Engineering (MPCOM), MSc
Publicerad
2024
Författare
Ameerudeen, Mohamed Azad
Nourjoo, Mohammad
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
This work investigates the potential of various recycled plastic materials for use in
bumper areas which are in closer proximity to automotive radar systems operating
at 77 GHz. The study focuses on both experimental and analytical calculation
approaches to assess the electromagnetic properties of these materials, specifically
focusing on their complex permittivity and loss tangent characteristics at 77 GHz.
For this purpose, a quasi-optical measurement setup which utilises metallic reflective
mirrors to narrow and collimate the beam of waves produced by WR12 frequency
extenders in the 65-90 GHz range is used. The S-parameters measured by the
Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) of the samples are utilised to calculate the complex
refractive index. This procedure allows for the determination of the permittivity
and loss tangent for each specific sample material. To ensure the robustness of the
calculation method, the known permittivity and loss tangent values at 77 GHz from
a reference non-recycled material provided by the supplier are utilised to calculate
theoretical S-parameters, which are then employed in the same method to re-evaluate
the permittivity and loss tangent. This process enables a direct comparison with
the initial VNA-derived results. This round-trip verification process confirms the
reliability of the calculation method used in the analysis. From the analysis of all test
materials, a particular recycled plastic material is chosen, suggesting its potential
suitability for use in automotive bumper production. Overall, this research offers
significant insights into the development of radar-compatible recycled plastics for
bumper design and manufacturing.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Automotive radar, recycled plastics, metallic reflective mirrors, S-parameters, Quasi-optical technique, refractive index, permittivity and loss tangent