Polycarbonate had earned the tag as the the best option material for usage within the automotive industry. However, recently, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen to the growing demands from the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate which are more important utilization in the, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established for usage in a variety of vehicle applications such as decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one of those fields that provide the best growth possibility of PMMA.
Related key top features of acrylic plastic which make it suitable for the process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Light-weight
To make a comparison on a simple level, PMMA is half the weight plus much more transparent than glass, thereby providing magnificent visibility even in the truth of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Because of its molecular structure, thermoformed polymer resin are used almost exclusively for car window glazing where each of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials that are safe, very easy to process and perform in all weathers are met.
On top of Scratch Resistance
Another significant requirement for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already gets the highest surface hardness of thermoplastics regardless if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you’ll find stringent conditions being fulfilled to meet the ideal condition of scratch resistance. The effective use of a coating is therefore mandatory. Since PMMA is intrinsically UV in addition to weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is useful. In comparison, thermoplastics who have low capacity weathering demand 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 eye of automobile manufacturers. Using the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is known as the best 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 anxiety birefringence
PMMA exhibits very little stress birefringence and also this functions as a major benefit over other thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, that has been primarily employed for glazing in the past. Compared with traditional materials such as polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, comes with a distinct chance of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The modern goal within the automotive marketplace is to formulate clean low fuel consumption vehicles. In the awareness and also the need for eco-friendly initiatives in the present general scheme of things, PMMA functions as a perfect substitute 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 sit in recent environmental requirements and so are thinking about alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It does not take perfect partner in this movement since it tends to make cars lighter.
Like a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is happy to assist you to understand its properties and the way it best suited to automotive glazing.
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