Polycarbonate had earned the tag as the the best option material for usage inside 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 important used in the, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established for usage in a variety of vehicle applications for example decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one of those fields that supply the very best growth possibility of PMMA.
Related key popular features of acrylic plastic which make it ideal for the operation of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Light weight
To create a comparison on the very basic level, PMMA is half the weight plus much more transparent than glass, thereby providing magnificent visibility even during true of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Owing to its molecular structure, thermoformed methyl methacrylate resin have become used almost exclusively for car window glazing where all the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which can be safe, very easy to process and perform in most weathers are met.
High on Scratch Resistance
Another significant desire for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already has the highest surface hardness of all thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, there are stringent conditions to be fulfilled to fulfill the perfect state of scratch resistance. The usage of a coating is thus mandatory. Given that PMMA is intrinsically UV in addition to weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is effective. As opposed, thermoplastics that have low capacity weathering demand 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 right fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic in addition to 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 hardly any stress birefringence which functions as a major benefit over other thermoplastics for example polycarbonate, that was primarily used by glazing in the past. Compared with traditional materials for example polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, offers a distinct chance for functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The modern goal inside the automotive companies are to build up clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Because of the awareness along with the need for eco-friendly initiatives in the current general scheme of things, PMMA functions as a perfect substitute for 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 meet 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 about alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It is the perfect partner on this movement given it makes cars lighter.
As a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is satisfied to work with you to understand its properties and exactly how it ideal to automotive glazing.
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