Polycarbonate had earned the tag since the the most appropriate material for usage in the automotive industry. However, these days, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen towards the growing demands from the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the best important utilization in a, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established for usage in many different vehicle applications such as decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is just one of those fields that offer the very best growth potential for PMMA.
Related key popular features of acrylic plastic that make it well suited for the process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Light weight
To produce a comparison over a very basic level, PMMA is half the body weight and more transparent than glass, thereby providing superior visibility during true of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Due to its molecular structure, thermoformed pmma plastic are actually used almost only for car window glazing where every one of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which can be safe, simple to process and perform in every weathers are met.
High on Scratch Resistance
Another significant desire for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already has the highest surface hardness of thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, there are stringent conditions to get fulfilled to satisfy the optimal state of scratch resistance. The effective use of a coating is thus mandatory. Given that PMMA is intrinsically UV in addition to weathering-resistant, a single-step coating works well. On the other hand, thermoplastics that have low resistance to weathering have to have a two-step coating system. This results in 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. Together with the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is now considered the proper fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic in addition to its extremely high weathering resistance, pleasant acoustic properties, and exceptional form ability allow freedom enabling entirely new design possibilities.
Less anxiety birefringence
PMMA exhibits very little stress birefringence and also this serves as a major benefit over other thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, which has been primarily used for glazing previously. Weighed against traditional materials such as polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, offers a distinct chance of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The new goal in the automotive marketplace is to produce clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Due to the awareness as well as the requirement for eco-friendly initiatives in today’s general scheme of things, PMMA serves as a perfect replacement for glass in the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the boundaries of design, so too is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that satisfy the latest challenges in the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for car makers that are looking to sit in recent environmental requirements and are contemplating alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. Oahu is the perfect partner in this movement since it makes cars lighter.
Being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is happy to work with you to understand its properties and exactly how it most suitable to automotive glazing.
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