Polycarbonate had earned the tag because the the most suitable material to use from the automotive industry. However, in recent years, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen on the growing demands with the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the most important utilization in a, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established to use in a variety of vehicle applications for example decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is among those fields that provide the greatest growth prospect of PMMA.
Related key popular features of acrylic plastic making it suitable for the process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Lightweight
To make a comparison on the erogenous level, PMMA is half the load plus much more transparent than glass, thereby providing crystal clear visibility even during the truth of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. As a result of its molecular structure, thermoformed pmma plastic are now used almost mainly for car window glazing where all of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which might be safe, an easy task to process and perform in most weathers are met.
On top of Scratch Resistance
Another significant desire for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already has the highest surface hardness of most thermoplastics even when uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you can find stringent conditions to get fulfilled in order to meet the best condition of scratch resistance. The application of a coating is thus mandatory. Since PMMA is intrinsically UV along with weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is effective. As opposed, thermoplastics which have low resistance to weathering have to have 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 known as the correct fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic along with its quite high weathering resistance, pleasant acoustic properties, and exceptional form ability allow freedom enabling entirely new design possibilities.
Less negative feelings birefringence
PMMA exhibits little or no stress birefringence this also works as a major benefit over other thermoplastics for example polycarbonate, that was primarily employed for glazing in the past. Compared with traditional materials for example polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, provides a distinct possibility of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The new goal from the automotive market is to formulate clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Due to the awareness and the requirement for eco-friendly initiatives with the current economic scheme of things, PMMA works as a perfect option to glass from the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the bounds of design, also is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that meet the latest challenges from the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for auto makers that are looking for to adjust to recent environmental requirements and they are thinking about alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. Oahu is the perfect partner on this movement given it tends to make cars lighter.
Being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is pleased to help you understand its properties and exactly how it ideal to automotive glazing.
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