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 on the growing demands with the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the most important use within the industry, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established to use in a number of vehicle applications such as decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one kind of those fields that supply the highest growth risk of PMMA.
Related key popular features of acrylic plastic which render it perfect for the operation of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Transportable
To generate a comparison on a simple level, PMMA is half the load plus more transparent than glass, thereby providing magnificent visibility during the case of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Owing to its molecular structure, thermoformed polymethyl methacrylate are now used almost exclusively for car window glazing where all the necessary requirements for light-weight materials that are safe, simple to process and perform in all of the weathers are met.
On top of Scratch Resistance
Another critical requirement for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already contains the highest surface hardness of all thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you can find stringent conditions to get fulfilled to meet the perfect state of scratch resistance. The use of a coating thus remains mandatory. Given that PMMA is intrinsically UV as well as weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is useful. As opposed, thermoplastics which have low capacity weathering require 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 the eye of automobile manufacturers. With the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is now viewed as the correct fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic as well as its extremely high weathering resistance, pleasant acoustic properties, and exceptional form ability allow freedom enabling entirely new design possibilities.
Less anxiety birefringence
PMMA exhibits very little stress birefringence which serves as a major benefit over other thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, which was primarily used for glazing before. Compared with traditional materials such as polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, supplies a distinct potential for functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The new goal from the automotive marketplace is to build up clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Because of the awareness and the requirement of eco-friendly initiatives in the present scheme of things, PMMA serves as a perfect option to glass from the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the bounds of design, so too is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that match the latest challenges from the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for car makers that are looking to sit in recent environmental requirements and therefore are thinking about alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. Oahu is the perfect partner on this movement because it can make cars lighter.
As being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is pleased to help you understand its properties and just how it best suited to automotive glazing.
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