Polycarbonate had earned the tag because the best option material for usage in the automotive industry. However, these days, 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 used in the market, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established for usage in a number of vehicle applications including decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one kind of those fields offering the very best growth possibility of PMMA.
Related key options that come with acrylic plastic that make it ideal for the process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Transportable
To produce a comparison with a very basic level, PMMA is half the body weight and much more transparent than glass, thereby providing superior visibility even during true of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Because of its molecular structure, thermoformed thermoplastic resin are actually used almost only for car window glazing where each of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which might be safe, simple to process and perform in all of the weathers are met.
On top of Scratch Resistance
Another significant requirement of glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already contains the highest surface hardness of all thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you will find stringent conditions to be fulfilled in order to meet the perfect state of scratch resistance. The effective use of a coating is therefore mandatory. Given that PMMA is intrinsically UV in addition to weathering-resistant, a single-step coating works well. As opposed, thermoplastics that have low effectiveness against weathering have to have a two-step coating system. This leads to relatively expense for coating.
New design possibilities
PMMA glazing is 40 to 50 percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques the eye of automobile manufacturers. Together with the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA has become viewed as the correct 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 negative feelings birefringence
PMMA exhibits little or no stress birefringence and this works as a major benefit over other thermoplastics including polycarbonate, which was primarily used by glazing during the past. Compared with traditional materials including polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, provides a distinct potential for functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The newest goal in the automotive market is to build up clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Given the awareness along with the requirement for eco-friendly initiatives in the present scheme of things, PMMA works as a perfect alternative to glass in the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the boundaries of design, so too is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that match the latest challenges in the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for auto makers that are looking to sit in recent environmental requirements and are considering alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It is the perfect partner in this movement given it helps make cars lighter.
Being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is glad to assist you to understand its properties and how it ideal to automotive glazing.
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