Polycarbonate had earned the tag since the the best option material for usage from the automotive industry. However, in recent times, Polymethyl Methacrylate, the PMMA polymer or commonly known acrylic plastic, has efficiently risen for the growing demands from the automotive industry in replacing polycarbonate which are more important used in the market, namely, automotive glazing.


Long established for usage in many different vehicle applications such as decorative trim, ambient lighting and door entry strips, automotive glazing is one of those fields that supply the greatest growth prospect of PMMA.
Related key features of acrylic plastic which render it perfect for the operation of automotive glazing are discussed below.
Transportable
To make a comparison on the erogenous level, PMMA is half the body weight and much more transparent than glass, thereby providing crystal clear visibility even during true of fluctuating and unstable temperatures. Due to its molecular structure, thermoformed thermoplastic resin are now used almost only for car window glazing where all of the necessary requirements for light-weight materials which can be safe, easy to process and perform in most weathers are met.
At the top of Scratch Resistance
Another important requirement of glazing is scratch resistance. Standard PMMA already gets the highest surface hardness of all thermoplastics even though uncoated. However, for automotive glazing, you can find stringent conditions to become fulfilled to fulfill the perfect condition of scratch resistance. The usage of a coating thus remains mandatory. Since PMMA is intrinsically UV along with weathering-resistant, a single-step coating is effective. On the other hand, thermoplastics which have low capacity weathering require a two-step coating system. This brings about relatively high costs 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. Together with the advantages being immediately obvious, PMMA has become known as the right fit for automotive glazing. Weight savings apart, the transparency of acrylic plastic as well as its 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 functions as a major benefit over other thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, that was primarily useful for glazing before. In contrast to traditional materials such as polycarbonate, moulded PMMA, comes with a distinct potential for functional integration – reducing recess depth and assembly costs.
Environment-friendly
The brand new goal from the automotive industry is to produce clean low fuel consumption vehicles. In the awareness and the requirement of eco-friendly initiatives in the current general scheme of things, PMMA functions as a perfect replacement for 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 want to sit in recent environmental requirements and are thinking about alternatives that reduce greenhouse gas and save fuel. It does not take perfect partner on this movement given it can make cars lighter.
Like a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is satisfied to help you in understanding its properties and the way it ideal to automotive glazing.
To get more information about thermoplastic resin explore our new resource: look at here