Search engine for touristic excursions to any place in the world Polycarbonate had earned the tag because the the most appropriate material for usage from the automotive industry. However, in recent years, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen for the growing demands in the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for the best important use within the, namely, automotive glazing.
Long established for usage in many different vehicle applications for example decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is just one of those fields that provide the best growth risk of PMMA.
Related key popular features of acrylic plastic which render it suitable for the entire process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Light-weight
To create a comparison on the erogenous level, PMMA is half the weight and much more transparent than glass, thereby providing magnificent visibility even during the situation of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. As a result of its molecular structure, thermoformed Acrylic Plastic have become used almost mainly 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 critical requirement for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already gets the highest surface hardness of most thermoplastics even when uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, there are stringent conditions to be fulfilled to fulfill the ideal state of scratch resistance. The use of a coating is thus mandatory. Since PMMA is intrinsically UV along with weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is successful. On the other hand, thermoplastics who have low potential to deal with weathering have to have 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 the interest of automobile manufacturers. With the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA has become known as the correct fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic in addition to its very high weathering resistance, pleasant acoustic properties, and exceptional form ability allow freedom enabling entirely new design possibilities.
Less stress birefringence
PMMA exhibits little or no stress birefringence this also works as a major benefit over other thermoplastics for example polycarbonate, that has been primarily used for glazing previously. Weighed against traditional materials for example polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, comes with a distinct chance of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The newest goal from the automotive industry is to produce clean low fuel consumption vehicles. Due to the awareness and also the requirement of eco-friendly initiatives in the current general scheme of things, PMMA works as a perfect alternative to glass from the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the bounds of design, also 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 that want to sit in recent environmental requirements and they are thinking of alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It does not take perfect partner within this movement because it makes cars lighter.
As a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is happy to help you understand its properties and the way it suitable to automotive glazing.
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