Polycarbonate had earned the tag because most suitable material to use from the automotive industry. However, recently, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen towards the growing demands in the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the best important used in the market, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established to use in many different vehicle applications for example decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is just one of those fields offering the highest growth prospect of PMMA.
Related key top features of acrylic plastic that make it ideal for the process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Light-weight
To produce a comparison on a standard level, PMMA is half the weight and more transparent than glass, thereby providing really clear visibility during the case of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. As a result of its molecular structure, thermoformed Acrylic Plastic are used almost just for car window glazing where all the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which can be safe, easy to process and perform in all of the weathers are met.
On top of Scratch Resistance
Another critical dependence on glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already has the highest surface hardness of most thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you’ll find stringent conditions to become fulfilled to satisfy the perfect condition of scratch resistance. The effective use of a coating is thus mandatory. Given that PMMA is intrinsically UV along with weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is useful. In comparison, thermoplastics which have low potential to deal with weathering demand a two-step coating system. This results in relatively high costs for coating.
New design possibilities
PMMA glazing is 40 to 50 percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques the interest of automobile manufacturers. Using the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is seen as the right fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic along with its 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 which functions as a major benefit over other thermoplastics for example polycarbonate, which was primarily useful for glazing previously. In comparison with traditional materials for example polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, offers a distinct potential for functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The brand new goal from the automotive marketplace is to formulate clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Because of the awareness along with the dependence on eco-friendly initiatives in the current general scheme of things, PMMA functions as a perfect alternative to glass from the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the boundaries of design, so too is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that fulfill the latest challenges from the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for car makers looking to sit in recent environmental requirements and they are contemplating alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It’s the perfect partner on this movement as it tends to make cars lighter.
As being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is happy to help you out understand its properties and how it ideal to automotive glazing.
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