Polycarbonate had earned the tag because the most suitable material to be used in the automotive industry. However, recently, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen towards the growing demands from the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the most important used in the market, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established to be used in several vehicle applications such as decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one of those fields that offer the best growth possibility of PMMA.
Related key top features of acrylic plastic which make it ideal for the operation of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Light-weight
To make a comparison over a very basic level, PMMA is half the weight and more transparent than glass, thereby providing really clear visibility even just in true of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Due to its molecular structure, thermoformed thermoplastic resin are used almost just for car window glazing where each of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which might be safe, an easy task to process and perform in all weathers are met.
At the top of Scratch Resistance
Another critical requirement for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already has got the highest surface hardness of most thermoplastics even when uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you’ll find stringent conditions being fulfilled to meet the perfect condition of scratch resistance. The application of a coating is thus mandatory. Since PMMA is intrinsically UV as well as weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is effective. In contrast, thermoplastics which have low capacity weathering require 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 a person’s eye of automobile manufacturers. With all the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA has become seen as the best 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 anxiety birefringence
PMMA exhibits almost no stress birefringence and also this functions as a major benefit over other thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, which was primarily useful for glazing before. Compared with traditional materials such as polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, provides a distinct chance of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The new goal in the automotive market is to develop clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Because of the awareness and also the requirement of eco-friendly initiatives in today’s scheme of things, PMMA functions 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 car makers looking to sit in recent environmental requirements and therefore are thinking about alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It’s the perfect partner on this movement since it helps make cars lighter.
Like a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is satisfied to help you understand its properties and just how it suitable to automotive glazing.
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