Polycarbonate had earned the tag since the the best option 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 best important use in a, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established to be used in a variety of vehicle applications including decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one of those fields offering the greatest growth risk of PMMA.
Related key popular features of acrylic plastic which render it ideal for the whole process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Transportable
To generate a comparison over a simple level, PMMA is half the weight plus more transparent than glass, thereby providing crystal clear visibility even during the situation of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Because of its molecular structure, thermoformed thermoplastic resin are now used almost mainly for car window glazing where all the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which are safe, very easy to process and perform in every weathers are met.
High on Scratch Resistance
Another important requirement of glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already contains the highest surface hardness coming from all thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you can find stringent conditions being fulfilled in order to meet the best 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. As opposed, thermoplastics who have low capacity weathering need a two-step coating system. This leads to relatively expensive for coating.
New design possibilities
PMMA glazing is 40 to 50 percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques a persons vision of automobile manufacturers. Together with the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA has become seen as the proper 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 hardly any stress birefringence and this serves as a major benefit over other thermoplastics including polycarbonate, that has been primarily employed for glazing previously. Weighed against traditional materials including polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, comes with a distinct possibility of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The new goal in the automotive market is to formulate clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Due to the awareness and the requirement for eco-friendly initiatives in today’s scheme of things, PMMA serves as a perfect option to glass in the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the bounds of design, also is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that satisfy the latest challenges in the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for auto makers looking to adjust to recent environmental requirements and therefore are thinking of alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It’s the perfect partner in this movement as it tends to make cars lighter.
As being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is happy to work with you understand its properties and just how it most suitable to automotive glazing.
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