New polymers and rubbers lighten the load

The automotive industry is driving toward lightweight materials because of an increasing focus on emissions reduction and increased fuel economy. This trend has opened up an array of opportunities for plastics, including high-performance materials, in the automotive industry. In under-hood applicati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ICIS Chemical Business 2010-10, Vol.278 (14), p.37
Main Authors: Kannan, K Deepan, Karunanidhi, Shree Vidhya
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Automobile industry
Automobiles
Innovations
OEM
Plastics
Polymers
Rubber
Trends
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The automotive industry is driving toward lightweight materials because of an increasing focus on emissions reduction and increased fuel economy. This trend has opened up an array of opportunities for plastics, including high-performance materials, in the automotive industry. In under-hood applications -- one of the high-growth areas for automotive plastics -- there is an increasing need for high temperature-resistance plastics because of downsizing and reduction of engine space. This has given rise to a few noteworthy innovations in the marketplace. A significant innovation that has propelled the use of plastics in oil pans by the leading original equipment manufacturers, is from German engineering group Mann+Hummel in 2008. Increasing durability has been a major issue for the rubber and plastics industry. Companies have been developing newer materials to cater to the durability needs of the end-users. Germany's LANXESS is producing polybutadiene rubbers using catalysts such as lithium, cobalt and neodymium, which provide reduced heat buildup, improved abrasion resistance and fatigue resistance.
ISSN:1937-5786
1750-1512