Polycarbonate had earned the tag because the the best option material to be used inside the automotive industry. However, in recent times, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen on the growing demands with the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate which are more important use within the, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established to be used in a number of vehicle applications including decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is just one of those fields that supply the greatest growth prospect of PMMA.
Related key features of acrylic plastic making it perfect for the operation of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Lightweight
To generate a comparison with a erogenous level, PMMA is half the extra weight plus much more transparent than glass, thereby providing really clear visibility during true of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Due to its molecular structure, thermoformed polymethyl methacrylate are used almost only for car window glazing where all of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which can be safe, an easy task to process and perform in every weathers are met.
At the top of Scratch Resistance
Another significant requirement of glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already contains the highest surface hardness of thermoplastics even though uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, there are stringent conditions to get fulfilled in order to meet the perfect state of scratch resistance. The effective use of a coating is thus mandatory. Given that PMMA is intrinsically UV in addition to weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is successful. As opposed, thermoplastics which may 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 Forty to fifty percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques a person’s eye of automobile manufacturers. Using the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is known as the correct fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic 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 little or no stress birefringence this also functions as a major benefit over other thermoplastics including polycarbonate, which has been primarily used for glazing previously. In comparison with traditional materials including polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, provides a distinct possibility of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The modern goal inside the automotive companies are to formulate clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Given the awareness and the requirement for eco-friendly initiatives in today’s scheme of things, PMMA functions as a perfect alternative to glass inside 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 inside the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for car makers that want to adjust to recent environmental requirements and so are thinking of alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. Oahu is the perfect partner within this movement as it helps make cars lighter.
Like a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is satisfied to assist you in understanding its properties and just how it suitable to automotive glazing.
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