AUTOMOTIVE | INTERIORS AND EXTERIORS
Exploded view of a front panel concept based on Lexan polycarbonate from SABIC, which can seamlessly
integrate sensors, unique lighting signatures, brand-identifying elements, and other features
communication that happens vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure to ensure safe navigation of roadways.” Trinseo’s Emerge PC 4310-15 Advanced Resin is
transparent to LiDAR wavelengths while being a visually opaque black in colour with greater than 80% IR transmission. The company says this meets the need for a high-performance material that is aesthetically pleasing for vehicle design. “Clearly this is new territory, and the key is to bring cross- industry experience to bear on the challenge, balancing necessary attributes should they be for transparency, translucence, weatherability, or a variety of other factors,” says the supplier. Automobile front panels is an emerging
application of great interest as the front end of the vehicle evolves along with the shift to electric vehicles, says SABIC’s Umamaheswaran. He notes that automakers no longer need a grille opening for ventilation for EVs. “What we are seeing in the design of front ends
Right:
Auto interior components are a target for RadiciGroup’s new Radilon Mixloy
polyamide blends
is a shift from ‘breathing to seeing’ as that part of the vehicle becomes home for safety sensors, cameras, driver assistance functions, and more,” says UV. “OEMs are looking for material solutions to enable the seamless integration of those components with lighting and branding elements, and other features as the industry moves to connected autonomous vehicles. Our SABIC team is engaged with multiple OEMs on innovative front panel concepts.”
He points to potential for greater flexibility: “We
see tremendous opportunity for Lexan polycarbon- ate resin for front panel applications, in addition to other lightweight materials. This material checks the box on a number of requirements such as transpar- ency, durability, and design freedom – which, importantly, can allow for the optimal integration of multiple features.”
24 INJECTION WORLD | November/December 2020
www.injectionworld.com
Crystalline/amorphous blends RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers intro- duced Radilon Mixloy polyamide blends in July, aiming at automotive, consumer goods and E&E. The range, which currently encompasses blends of PA – PA6 or PA610 – with ABS, are made using a compatibilisation technology, developed by the group, which makes such normally immiscible raw materials miscible. Nicolangelo Peduto, Research and Development manager of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers says: “In the future, we plan to add other products, with the goal of achieving properties that are simply not attainable with individual polymers. One of our objectives is to be able to meet the demand coming from market niches. Furthermore, thanks to our upstream vertically integrated polyamide production, we have at our disposal a number of different types of polymers that give us design freedom in formulating the new Radilon Mixloys.” Peduto points out that PA610 is made partly from renewable materials, “thus increasing the added value of the products.” Radilon Mixloy grades have very good thermal
resistance, mechanical resistance, and surface appearance. They have “significantly” higher impact resistance than PA and ABS on their own. They also have high dimensional stability, thanks to low water absorption, and are easy to process. Density is just over 1.0g/cm3
.
Peduto says they are ideal for auto interior components, where the most frequently requested characteristics are appearance and chemical and thermal resistance. “Semi-crystalline polymers like polyamides can give rougher surfaces than amorphous polymers, but with Mixloy, it is possible to achieve smoother parts with high gloss, espe- cially with alloys based on PA610. Parts do not
IMAGE: SABIC
IMAGE: RADICIGROUP
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58
