Polycarbonate had earned the tag because the most suitable material for usage inside 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 industry, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established for usage in several vehicle applications including decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is among those fields that provide the very best growth risk of PMMA.
Related key top features of acrylic plastic which make it suitable for the process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Transportable
To make a comparison on the simple level, PMMA is half the load plus more transparent than glass, thereby providing really clear visibility even just in the case of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Due to its molecular structure, thermoformed methyl methacrylate resin are now used almost just for car window glazing where all the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which can be safe, simple to process and perform in most weathers are met.
On top of Scratch Resistance
Another essential desire for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already gets the highest surface hardness of thermoplastics even when uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you will find stringent conditions to get fulfilled to fulfill the optimal condition of scratch resistance. The effective use of a coating is thus mandatory. Due to the fact PMMA is intrinsically UV as well as weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is successful. On the other hand, thermoplastics that have low potential to deal with weathering require 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 a person’s eye of automobile manufacturers. With all the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA has become considered the correct fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic with its very high weathering resistance, pleasant acoustic properties, and exceptional form ability allow freedom enabling entirely new design possibilities.
Less stress birefringence
PMMA exhibits hardly any stress birefringence which works as a major benefit over other thermoplastics including polycarbonate, which has been primarily used by glazing in the past. Compared with traditional materials including polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, supplies a distinct chance of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The new goal inside the automotive marketplace is to formulate clean low fuel consumption vehicles. In the awareness and also the requirement for eco-friendly initiatives in today’s general scheme of things, PMMA works as a perfect replacement for glass inside the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the boundaries of design, also is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that meet the latest challenges inside the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for car makers that are looking to sit in recent environmental requirements and therefore 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 happy to work with you to understand its properties and the way it ideal to automotive glazing.
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