Polycarbonate had earned the tag because the most appropriate material to use inside the automotive industry. However, these days, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen to the growing demands with the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the best important use within the, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established to use in many different vehicle applications such as decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one kind of those fields that provide the highest growth prospect of PMMA.
Related key top features of acrylic plastic which render it ideal for the entire process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Lightweight
To generate a comparison with a very basic level, PMMA is half the body weight and more transparent than glass, thereby providing really clear visibility even just in true of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. As a result of its molecular structure, thermoformed polymer resin are now used almost only for car window glazing where all the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which can be safe, simple to process and perform in most weathers are met.
At the top of Scratch Resistance
Another essential desire for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already gets the highest surface hardness of most thermoplastics regardless if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you’ll find stringent conditions being fulfilled to satisfy the perfect state of scratch resistance. The application of a coating is therefore mandatory. Since PMMA is intrinsically UV along with weathering-resistant, a single-step coating works well. On the other hand, thermoplastics which may have low effectiveness against weathering demand a two-step coating system. This leads to relatively high costs for coating.
New design possibilities
PMMA glazing is Forty to fifty percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques the eye of automobile manufacturers. With all the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA has become seen as the proper fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic in addition to its very high weathering resistance, pleasant acoustic properties, and exceptional form ability allow freedom enabling entirely new design possibilities.
Less stress birefringence
PMMA exhibits almost no stress birefringence and this works as a major benefit over other thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, that was primarily used for glazing previously. Weighed against traditional materials such as polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, offers a distinct possibility of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The brand new goal inside the automotive companies are to produce clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Because of the awareness and also the dependence on eco-friendly initiatives with the current economic general scheme of things, PMMA works as a perfect option to 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 satisfy the latest challenges inside the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for auto makers that are looking for to sit in recent environmental requirements and therefore are considering alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. Oahu is the perfect partner with this movement since it makes cars lighter.
As a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is glad to help you in understanding its properties and just how it best suited to automotive glazing.
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