Polycarbonate had earned the tag since the the most appropriate material to use within the automotive industry. However, recently, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen on the growing demands of the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the most important utilization in the, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established to use in a number of vehicle applications for example decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one of those fields that offer the best growth potential for PMMA.
Related key features of acrylic plastic which render it ideal for the whole process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Lightweight
To generate a comparison over a simple level, PMMA is half the load plus more transparent than glass, thereby providing really clear visibility even just in the truth of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Due to its molecular structure, thermoformed Acrylic Plastic are used almost exclusively for car window glazing where all of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which are safe, easy to process and perform in most weathers are met.
At the top of Scratch Resistance
Another critical dependence on glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already gets the highest surface hardness of all thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you can find stringent conditions to become fulfilled to fulfill the optimal condition of scratch resistance. The application of a coating thus remains mandatory. Given that PMMA is intrinsically UV and also weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is useful. In contrast, thermoplastics which may have low resistance to weathering have to have a two-step coating system. This ends in relatively high costs for coating.
New design possibilities
PMMA glazing is 40 to 50 percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques a person’s eye of automobile manufacturers. Using the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is currently viewed as the proper fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic along with its extremely high weathering resistance, pleasant acoustic properties, and exceptional form ability allow freedom enabling entirely new design possibilities.
Less negative feelings birefringence
PMMA exhibits very little stress birefringence and this operates as a major benefit over other thermoplastics for example polycarbonate, which was primarily employed for glazing during the past. Weighed against traditional materials for example polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, supplies a distinct possibility of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The modern goal within the automotive industry is to formulate clean low fuel consumption vehicles. In the awareness as well as the requirement for eco-friendly initiatives in the current scheme of things, PMMA operates as a perfect replacement for glass within the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the boundaries of design, also is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that satisfy the latest challenges within the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for car makers that want to adjust to recent environmental requirements and therefore are contemplating alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It does not take perfect partner in this movement as it can make cars lighter.
As a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is glad to work with you understand its properties and exactly how it best suited to automotive glazing.
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