Polycarbonate had earned the tag because the most suitable material for usage inside the automotive industry. However, these days, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen towards the growing demands with the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the most important use within the industry, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established for usage in a number of vehicle applications like decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is just one of those fields that provide the best growth prospect of PMMA.
Related key options that come with acrylic plastic that make it well suited for the entire process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Lightweight
To make a comparison on the standard level, PMMA is half the load and much more transparent than glass, thereby providing magnificent visibility even in true of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Because of its molecular structure, thermoformed pmma thermoplastic are now used almost just for car window glazing where all of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which are safe, simple to process and perform in all weathers are met.
High on Scratch Resistance
Another significant dependence on glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already has got the highest surface hardness of thermoplastics regardless if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you’ll find stringent conditions to become fulfilled in order to meet the best condition of scratch resistance. The effective use of a coating is therefore mandatory. Due to the fact PMMA is intrinsically UV as well as weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is effective. In comparison, thermoplastics that have low capacity weathering require a two-step coating system. This brings about relatively high costs for coating.
New design possibilities
PMMA glazing is Forty to fifty percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques the interest of automobile manufacturers. With all the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is currently seen as the best fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic in addition to its high weathering resistance, pleasant acoustic properties, and exceptional form ability allow freedom enabling entirely new design possibilities.
Less stress birefringence
PMMA exhibits very little stress birefringence and this serves as a major benefit over other thermoplastics like polycarbonate, which was primarily used for glazing before. Compared with traditional materials like polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, comes with a distinct chance of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The newest goal inside the automotive companies are to build up clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Given the awareness and also the need for eco-friendly initiatives in the present scheme of things, PMMA serves as a perfect replacement for glass inside the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the bounds of design, so too is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that meet the latest challenges inside the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for auto makers that want to sit in recent environmental requirements and they are contemplating alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. Oahu is the perfect partner with this movement as it makes cars lighter.
Being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is satisfied to work with you to understand its properties and the way it ideal to automotive glazing.
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