Polycarbonate had earned the tag because the the most suitable material to use from the automotive industry. However, these days, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen to the growing demands in the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate for important use in the industry, namely, automotive glazing.

Long established to use in a number of vehicle applications for example decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is among those fields that supply the very best growth risk of PMMA.
Related key popular features of acrylic plastic which make it well suited for the entire process of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Transportable
To generate a comparison on the erogenous level, PMMA is half the weight and much more transparent than glass, thereby providing really clear visibility even in the truth of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Owing to its molecular structure, thermoformed acrylic sheet are actually used almost mainly for car window glazing where every one of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which can be safe, simple to process and perform in all of the weathers are met.
At the top of Scratch Resistance
Another critical requirement for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already contains the highest surface hardness of thermoplastics even if uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you’ll find stringent conditions to become fulfilled in order to meet the optimal condition of scratch resistance. The effective use of a coating is thus mandatory. Since PMMA is intrinsically UV along with weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is successful. In comparison, thermoplastics which have low resistance to weathering have to have a two-step coating system. This ends in relatively expensive 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. Using the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is now considered the proper 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 stress birefringence
PMMA exhibits very little stress birefringence and also this serves 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, supplies a distinct possibility of functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The new goal from the automotive companies are to produce clean low fuel consumption vehicles. In the awareness and also the need for eco-friendly initiatives in the current scheme of things, PMMA serves as a perfect alternative 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 meet the latest challenges from the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for auto makers that are looking to adjust to recent environmental requirements and they are considering alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. Oahu is the perfect partner within this movement since it tends to make cars lighter.
Like a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is satisfied to help you out understand its properties and just how it most suitable to automotive glazing.
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