Top 5 Automotive Plastic Innovations

TAGS:  Automotive     Sustainability and Bioplastics    

It has happened! Genbeta has been pioneered in its development by SABIC. The Genbeta is the world’s leading Electric Vehicle (EV) Formula E race car. It set a Guinness World Record at the recent world’s first all-electric FIA World Championship. The record was for the fastest speed that was achieved indoors. The achieved speed was 218.71 kph (kilometers per hour) or 135.9 mph (miles per hour).

Key thermoplastic parts of the EV include:

1. Front wing endplates — Front wing endplates use 3D printing of various materials. For example, PolyPropylene (PP) copolymer, PolyCarbonate (PC), or PolyButylene Terephthalate (PBT)/PC blends. They are mounted on the outboard extremities of the vehicle’s front wing. They are integral to the airflow redirection of the front wheels. They reduce drag while maintaining the car’s downforce and stability.


2. Wheel fins — Wheel fins are injection molded components. They use SABIC’s mechanically recycled thermoplastics such as STAMAX™ PolyPropylene (PP) copolymer. This contains post-consumer waste based on their TRUCIRCLE™ circular materials. They are mounted on wheel rims in a radial, spoke-like pattern. This, in turn, optimizes airflow. It also reduces aerodynamic drag for higher speeds, as well as cool the brakes to improve stopping power.


3. Wind deflectors — Wind deflectors are extruded transparent PolyCarbonate (PC) sheet parts. They use a biorenewable, low-carbon material from SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio. They are attached to the front of the race car cockpit, ahead of the driver. Thus, it optimizes airflow for decreased drag ultimately improving speed performance.

Genbeta EV Race Car (L), Front Wing Endplates/Wheel Fins (C), Wind Deflector Parts (R)
(Source: SABIC)
The lightweight potential of every automobile component is under investigation. This includes Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and Electric Vehicle (EV). Advanced plastics and plastic composites offer significant vehicle performance enhancement.

Fiber-reinforced engineering plastic composites are 25-35% lighter than steel parts of equal strength. New material uses also will include:

• Greater use of plastics/composites in car body panels
• Long and continuous fiber technology for structural parts
• More use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic for structural and other parts. This is due to the development of lower-cost composites
• Polycarbonate and acrylic as glazing for car roofs, headlights, and taillights
• Advanced nylons in under-the-hood applications

Plastic suppliers are tailoring materials to meet auto sustainability and light-weighting goals.

Review two automotive plastic materials, one processing development, and two applications respectively.

Domo's Recycled PA for Automotive & Others Applications

Domo Engineered Materials has developed TECHNYL® 4EARTH® PolyAmide 6 (PA 6 or Nylon 6) and Polyamide 66 (PA 66 or Nylon 66). It reduces the environmental impact of polyamide parts to levels never achieved before. This is demonstrated by the life cycle results. It shows up to:

• 80% less CO₂ emissions,
• 70% less water, and
• 60% less energy consumption used in manufacturing

These grades target recycled contents of 20% and more. They are available with up to 50% carbon or glass fiber content.


TECHNYL® 4EARTH® Sustainable Recycled PA6 and PA66
(Source: Domo Engineered Materials)
Key applications include:

• Automotive bearing cages, gear-shift housings, oil pans, oil separators, cylinder head covers, air intake manifolds, and transmission covers
• Electrical, household, and gardening appliances, and
• Consumer/industrial goods such as thermal breaks/window profiles, furniture components, industrial components, sports and leisure equipment, and farming tools

Wipag's PA 6 Offers Good Mechanical Performance in Windshield Crossbeams

Wipag PolyAmide 6 (PA6, or Nylon6) recycled carbon fiber compound is being used in the BMW iX Electric Vehicle’s (EV) windscreen crossbeam. The EV windshield features an upper structural component made with a WIC PA6 15 BK IM compound. It uses an injection molded metal hybrid technology. It makes use of carbon fiber scrap from BMW’s carbon fiber composite manufacturing cell.


PA6 Recycled Carbon Fiber Compound’s Windscreen in BMW EV Crossbeam
(Source: Wipag)
The windshield structural crossbeam also consists of metal inserts and carbon fiber rods. It is an impact-modified grade. It offers the following benefits:

• good mechanical property performance
• lightweight, sustainable, and circular economy alternative solution

Beyond meeting mechanical requirements, recycled carbon fibers also provide a lower carbon footprint. 1 kilogram (kg) of WIC PA6 releases around 6 kg of CO₂ equivalents (eq.) compared with around 9 kg of CO₂ eq when manufactured with 1kg using virgin carbon fiber.

GS-Caltex’s LFT Compound Increases Dimensional Stability in Sunroof Frames

GS-Caltex’s HiPrene® ALG14BF PolyAmide6 (PA6 or Nylon6) Long Fiber Thermoplastic (LFT) compound is used in the Hyundai Kia Sorrento’s panoramic sunroof frame. Inalfa Roof Systems Korea injection molds the sunroof frame using the GS-Caltex compound.

It is the first where flat rather than traditional round glass fiber reinforcement is used. This provides the sunroof with the following properties:

• increased dimensional stability and
• reduced warpage

PA6-based LFT in Kia Sorrento’s Sunroof Frame
(Source: GS-Caltex)
Twist pultrusion which is a novel technique was used to produce the LFT pellets. This allows the fiber length to exceed the plastic pellet length. It leads to an enhanced mechanical performance.

Part weight is reduced by 51% versus a predecessor standard steel frame. The part consolidation decreased from 33% to 4% in total. The glass-filled LFT vs. carbon-fiber reinforced LFT achieved a 13% higher bending torsional rigidity. Similarly, it also achieved a part-breaking force 25% better at a 24% lower cost.

Solvay's Flame Retardant LCP Increases Passengers' Safety in EVs

Solvay has developed its latest high-heat Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP), Xydar® LCP G-330 HH. This LCP compound grade is inherently flame-retardant without using halogen or bromine additives. It retains electrical insulation properties upon exposure to 752°F (400°C) for 30 minutes. It has the following features:

• glass-filled,
• easy flowable,
• injection moldable

Automakers are moving from 400 Volts (V) to 800V in next-generation Electric Vehicles (EVs). This is because global regulations are increasing high heat resistance on battery components. They need to withstand temperatures from 300°C to 1000°C for an extended window of up to 15 minutes.

Xydar® LCP G-330 HH increases safety allowing sufficient time for passengers to exit the EV in the event of a battery thermal runaway fire. It targets EV battery module film insulating plates with thin wall dimensions of 100 x 150 x 0.5 millimeters (mm).


Xydar® LCP Battery Pack Module Insulation Film Plate (L, C), Thermal Runaway Event (R)
(Source: Solvay)

Covestro's Recycled PC for Transparent Headlight Covers

Covestro is bringing its circular economy PolyCarbonate (PC) expertise to the Nalyses automotive headlamp project. It is funded by the Hella-led, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. It is focused on the development and design of today’s transparent headlight covers. It also focuses on their reuse, remanufacturing, or end-of-life material recycling. This is aimed at a high-value recycled PC raw material base, covering the entire product lifecycle.

Covestro has conducted research into a modular headlamp concept. This is based on different types of polycarbonate that aims to reduce:

• assembly steps,
• space requirements,
• costs, and
• CO₂ emissions

Focusing on one type of plastic like the specified PC can reduce labor costs. Labor costs are needed to separate, sort, and store it in recycling streams without sacrificing performance. The Nalyses consortium includes Hella (headlamps), Covestro, BMW, geba Kunststoffcompounds, Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Systems Design IEM, and Heinz Nixdorf Institute and Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences. Project results are planned to be transferred to other industries.

Recycled PC Sustainable Transparent Car Headlamp
(Source: Covestro)

Polymers for Automotive Applications

Select from 29,000+ grades of polymers suitable for automotive available in our database. Analyze the technical data of each product, get technical assistance, or request samples.