TAGS: Automotive Sustainability and Bioplastics
It is true that plastic suppliers are totally in sync with plastic manufacturers with regard to tailoring materials to applications that meet the sustainability goals of car manufacturers. Take, for example, DSM Engineering Materials' commercialization of its Stanyl® B-MB (Biobased Mass Balanced) PolyAmide (PA, or Nylon) plastic resin.
- Stanyl® B-MB is now a fully International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC+) certified mass-balanced and comes with up to 100% biobased content.
- It has identical performance characteristics to traditional DSM polyamides while generating a 50% lower carbon footprint versus their fossil fuel-based nylons, or a 3.3-ton CO2 reduction per ton PA produced that is equivalent to charging 420,000 smartphones.
- Overall DSM’s Stanyl® B-MB PA is ideally suited for the coming automotive/electronics market convergence as cars become appliances, where electrical and heat insulation will be safety critical in electric vehicle battery flame retardancy.
DSM’s Biobased Mass Balanced Stanyl® B-MB Plastic with up to 100% Biobased Feedstock
Material choices for automotive interiors and exteriors have become more diversified and specified to an application. Yet they continue to keep function, performance, costs, and aesthetics in sight as they open the door to:
-
light-weighting,
-
carbon reduction,
-
sustainability, and
-
the use of renewable materials.
Currently, Electric Vehicles (EVs) are developing fast with continual plastic material advances, particularly about recycled and sustainable variants, which is also the case with traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles that are additionally evolving with the digitally connected car of the future.
Let us now turn our attention to reviewing five automotive plastic material innovations.
Borealis' Long Fiber Polypropylene Range Used in Automotive Tailgate
To start with, Borealis’ Long Glass Fiber (LGF) reinforced PolyPropylene (PP) grade Fibremod™ GB416LF was specifically tailored to produce the largest ever all thermoplastic tailgate for the first in the last twenty years remodeling of Volkswagen AG’s Transporter Multivan model. It is a high-flow, 40% fiber-reinforced material, exhibiting superior emission and mechanical performance features, and excellent surface aesthetics. Using Borealis’ Fibremod™ GB416LF eliminates surface finishing steps such as painting, making it an even more sustainable alternative.
Further, Fibremod™ LGF PP is a lightweight design solution and lower-density replacement for conventional engineering polymers. It is made from a renewable polymer and is recyclable. It delivers:
- Weight savings of around 200 kilograms compared to its immediate tailgate predecessor,
- A lower CO2 footprint which in turn lowers energy consumption in manufacturing, and
Borealis' Fibremod™ LGF PP (L, Upper R) Used in VW’s Multivan All Thermoplastic Tailgate (R)
Elix Polymers' ABS & ABS/PC Compounds for Automotive Interiors
Next, Elix Polymers has introduced a range of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and ABS/PC (PolyCarbonate) electroplating compounds under their E-Loop sustainable Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) program. Their E-Loop P2MC CR50, E-Loop HH4115PG CR25, and E-Loop HF4200PG CR25 grades are high flow and have a sustainable mechanically or chemically recycled content of 50% for ABS and 25% for ABS/PC as determined by full LCA analysis. These compounds are targeted at automotive interior applications like dashboards compatible tandem with chromium 6-free plating chemicals, where traditional chromium 6 or hexavalent chromium is a known human carcinogen.
Elix Polymers' E-Loop Program (L), Chromium 6-free ABS Automotive Dashboard (R)
BASF & Partners' Mass-balanced Nylon for Bow Door Handles
Continuing, BASF in coordination with Mercedes-Benz, Pyrum Innovations, and Witte Automotive has commercialized a mass-balanced, 30% glass fiber reinforced Ultramid® PolyAmide (or Nylon) PA 6 for new bow door handles on the luxury car manufacturer’s S-Class and the EQE vehicles. BASF is employing a mass balance compound approach with:
- pyrolysis oil produced by Pyrum Innovations from scrap tires, and
- biomethane from agricultural waste and food industry residues.
The resulting compound features the same properties as a virgin PA 6 compound and is molded into handles by Witte Automotive. Future development plans call for incorporating BASF’s new PA 6 compound into Mercedes-Benz's S-Class crash absorber structures.
BASF’s Mass-balanced, 30% Glass Filled Ultramid® PA 6 (L) Mercedes-Benz's Bow Door Handle (R)
View all glass fiber reinforced polyamide 6 grades for the automotive industry by BASF »
Ascend’s Anti-vibration Polyamide Dampens High-frequency Noise in EVs
Delving further, Ascend’s new PolyAmide (PA, or Nylon), Vydyne® AVS PA 66 resin is finding major use as an anti-vibration plastic for high-frequency noise vibration dampening for EV motors and compressors. A major priority for Electric Vehicles (EVs) is a secure and comfortable ride, always focusing on limiting NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness).
The cabin noise requires minimizing noise levels where high frequencies up to 5000 Hertz (Hz) exist in the EVs versus 500 Hz in the ICE car. Vydyne® AVS PA 66 is on average 7 deciBels (dB) or up to 85% quieter in cabin noise versus traditional PA 66 in engine area mounting locations. Also, of importance, there is an average 35% weight reduction in Nylon 66 versus traditionally used die-cast aluminum dampeners or mounting brackets, whether used in EV or the ICE cars.
Ascend's Vydyne® AVS PA 66 Anti-Vibration, Metal Replacing EV Motor Mounting Bracket
Solvay's Bio-based Polyphthalamide Reduces Global Warming Effects in EVs
Let us conclude with Solvay’s development of Amodel® Bios, a 22% biobased from castor oil PolyPhthalAmide (PPA) high-temperature plastic, application targeted at electric vehicles. Also important is the fact that Amodel® Bios PPA is manufactured with 100% renewable electricity, further dramatically minimizing global warming effects versus other biobased PPAs. Its performance features include:
- the highest in biobased class glass transition temperature (Tg) of 135°C,
- melting point (Tm) of 315°C,
- low moisture absorption providing dimensional stability with low-stress corrosion,
- very good impact strength while compliant with halogen-free UL94 V0 flame retardancy,
- very acceptable electrical color coding, good surface aesthetics,
- high elongation at break, and
- superior weld line strength in molding.
These property characteristics make Amodel® Bios PPA ideal for components in electric vehicle e-motors, power electronics other high-end electrical systems, and it is particularly effective in miniaturized electrical connectors.
Solvay's Amodel® Bios PPA for Electronic Inverter Module (L), Exploded Module Sub-parts View (R)
Game Changing Automotive Plastic Innovations in 2023
Talk to Donald Rosato to ease your automotive plastics material selection for ICEs and EVs. Also, learn about commercialized engineering plastics, EV batteries and electrical components for lucid air, dynalite continuous-fiber-reinforced PP composite materials as lightweight solutons for mechanically stable paneling components, new recycled and bio-based polyolefin formulations that can replace traditional polyolefin materials and more!