Polycarbonate had earned the tag as the the best option material to be used within the automotive industry. However, recently, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen to the growing demands from the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate which are more important use within the market, namely, automotive glazing.

Long established to be used in several vehicle applications including decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one of those fields offering the best growth possibility of PMMA.
Related key features of acrylic plastic making it well suited for the operation of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Light-weight
To produce a comparison on the erogenous level, PMMA is half the load and much more transparent than glass, thereby providing magnificent visibility during the truth of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Owing to its molecular structure, thermoformed acrylic sheet are used almost mainly for car window glazing where each of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which might be safe, easy to process and perform in every weathers are met.
High on Scratch Resistance
Another significant requirement for glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already gets the highest surface hardness coming from all thermoplastics even when uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you will find stringent conditions to become fulfilled to meet the optimal condition of scratch resistance. The use of a coating thus remains mandatory. Due to the fact PMMA is intrinsically UV as well as weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is useful. On the other hand, thermoplastics that have low effectiveness against weathering need a two-step coating system. This results in relatively expensive for coating.
New design possibilities
PMMA glazing is Forty to fifty percent lighter than conventional glass, which piques a person’s eye of automobile manufacturers. Together with the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA is considered the best fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic with its quite high weathering resistance, pleasant acoustic properties, and exceptional form ability allow freedom enabling entirely new design possibilities.
Less anxiety birefringence
PMMA exhibits almost no stress birefringence and this works as a major benefit over other thermoplastics including polycarbonate, which was primarily used for glazing before. 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 newest goal within the automotive companies are to build up clean low fuel consumption vehicles. In the awareness along with the requirement for eco-friendly initiatives in today’s general scheme of things, PMMA works as a perfect substitute for glass within the automotive glazing segment. As vehicle manufacturers push the boundaries of design, so too is automotive glazing evolving.
SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer offers characteristics that match the latest challenges within the transportation sector. It’s a monumental challenge for auto makers looking to sit in recent environmental requirements and therefore are thinking about alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It’s the perfect partner with this movement because it tends to make cars lighter.
As being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is pleased to work with you to understand its properties and how it best suited to automotive glazing.
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