Polycarbonate had earned the tag as the the most appropriate material to use in the automotive industry. However, in recent times, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen to the growing demands from the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the best important used in the industry, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established to use in several vehicle applications such as decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is among those fields offering the very best growth prospect of PMMA.
Related key features of acrylic plastic which make it well suited for the process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Light weight
To create a comparison over a standard level, PMMA is half the load and much more transparent than glass, thereby providing crystal clear visibility even during the case of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. As a result of its molecular structure, thermoformed pmma thermoplastic are actually used almost exclusively for car window glazing where all the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which can be safe, simple to process and perform in all weathers are met.
At the top of Scratch Resistance
Another important dependence on glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already gets the highest surface hardness of thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you can find stringent conditions being fulfilled to fulfill the optimal condition of scratch resistance. The usage of a coating is therefore mandatory. Due to the fact PMMA is intrinsically UV along with weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is useful. As opposed, thermoplastics who have low effectiveness against weathering have to have a two-step coating system. This brings about relatively expensive for coating.
New design possibilities
PMMA glazing is 40 to 50 percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques a persons vision of automobile manufacturers. With all the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is now 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 anxiety birefringence
PMMA exhibits very little stress birefringence and this operates as a major benefit over other thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, that was primarily employed for glazing previously. In comparison 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 newest goal in the automotive companies are to produce clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Because of the awareness and the need for eco-friendly initiatives with the current economic general scheme of things, PMMA operates as a perfect option to glass in the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the bounds of design, so too is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that fulfill the latest challenges in the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for auto makers looking to adjust to recent environmental requirements and so are thinking of alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It does not take perfect partner in this movement since it tends to make cars lighter.
As being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is pleased to help you to understand its properties and the way it most suitable to automotive glazing.
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