Polycarbonate had earned the tag as the the most suitable material to be used inside the automotive industry. However, these days, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen on the growing demands in the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for important use in the market, namely, automotive glazing.

Long established to be used 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 very best growth possibility of PMMA.
Related key options that come with acrylic plastic which render it perfect for the whole process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Lightweight
To generate a comparison on a very basic level, PMMA is half the load plus much more transparent than glass, thereby providing superior visibility even just in true of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Because of its molecular structure, thermoformed polymethyl methacrylate are now used almost just for car window glazing where each of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which might be safe, an easy task to process and perform in all weathers are met.
On top of Scratch Resistance
Another important dependence on glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already has the highest surface hardness coming from all thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you’ll find stringent conditions being fulfilled to satisfy the perfect condition of scratch resistance. The use of a coating is thus mandatory. Considering that PMMA is intrinsically UV and also weathering-resistant, a single-step coating works well. On the other hand, thermoplastics who have low potential to deal with weathering demand a two-step coating system. This leads to relatively high costs for coating.
New design possibilities
PMMA glazing is 40 to 50 percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques the eye of automobile manufacturers. Using the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is currently seen as the correct fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic with its 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 like polycarbonate, which was primarily useful for glazing during the past. Compared with traditional materials like polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, offers a distinct potential for functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The brand new goal inside the automotive marketplace is to build up clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Given the awareness as well as the requirement for eco-friendly initiatives in today’s scheme of things, PMMA serves as a perfect substitute for glass inside the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the bounds of design, also is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that satisfy 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. It’s the perfect partner with this movement because it tends to make cars lighter.
As being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is glad to assist you understand its properties and the way it suitable to automotive glazing.
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