Lightweight Materials in Plastic Industry

* Lightweight Materials

Under the same material, thermal insulation material density is smaller, the better the insulation effect. In addition, the lightweight material will not increase the additional burden of the building envelope, reducing the load is too large because the structure caused by the possibility of leakage.

* Green Materials

In recent years, fly ash, waste and other waste in the foam insulation has been widely applied. As for those who degrade difficult to deal with the high cost of waste vigorous development, the efficient use of resources, the environment and thus greatly improved.

Treatment and disposal of these wastes, the state has increased policy support, therefore, in order to scrap foam insulation materials as raw materials will have a greater price advantage. Meanwhile in the production process to minimize energy consumption and pollutant emissions, the development of plant fiber as the main raw material of green materials, insulation materials will also be the development trend.

* Super-Efficient Insulation

Currently, super-efficient insulation material mainly consists of vacuum insulation materials and nano-porous materials two kinds. Vacuum material or the material thickness of the solid portion of the lower, even at the nanoscale pore size limit, can be eliminated through the air convection and infrared performance, reduce the incidence of heat conduction and convection, to improve the thermal insulation material.

Inorganic insulation materials (eg compound silicate insulation materials, etc.) research should focus on the production process to reduce energy consumption and limit emissions of dust and fibers, reducing the amount of binder. Organic insulation materials (eg polystyrene foam insulation, polyurethane foam, etc.), research should focus on finding a more suitable blowing agent to replace the F11; improved flame retardant properties of materials and reduce material cost of production. Development of multifunctional composite insulation materials, insulation products improve efficiency and expand the application of the product surface.

Insulation materials currently used in the application there are different degrees of impairment: calcium silicate containing moisture condition, easy to corrosive calcium oxide, and because for a long time retain moisture, easy to use in low-temperature environments; glass fiber is easy to absorb moisture, is not suitable for low-temperature environment, but also suitable for temperatures above 540 ℃; there are also water-absorbing mineral wool, not for low-temperature environment, there is no moisture can be used under high temperature environment; polyurethane foam and polystyrene vinyl foam should not be used at high temperatures, and flammable, contraction, resulting in gas; foam glass due to thermal shock sensitive, not for drastic temperature changes state, so in order to overcome the lack of insulation materials, countries have developed lightweight multifunctional composite insulation materials.

Lightweight Materials in Automotive Industry

U.S. growth consulting company Frost & Sullivan research report published in early October, the global automotive manufacturers increasingly focus on improving fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, more biased in favor of the lightweight structure in the design of the car, including the use of more lightweight plastic material instead of part of the steel structure, these initiatives will improve the amount of plastic car, bring a new round of development opportunities to the global plastics industry. The report also reminds us that due to the limitations of the performance of the plastic itself and not yet widely accepted by consumers, automotive plastics manufacturers need to further increase R & D and propaganda.

Frost & Sullivan pointed out that some countries or regions car the implementation of energy efficiency standards, and promote the development of light-duty vehicles, car manufacturers is in the process of research and development efforts to expand the application of plastic materials in the car. BMW initiatives to reduce the quality of the car, including the use of low-quality thermoplastic plastic instead of steel reinforcement and connect the components of the BMW 5 Series car, this vehicle can lose weight 10 kg. Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen also actively promotes the use of plastics to replace metal for lighter models and better performance.

In addition, the car structure design more and more smart, automobile assembly also tend to aggregate, which also contributed to the car manufacturers to more use of plastic. The use of plastic instead of metal parts is conducive to better integration and assembly, and increase the flexibility of automotive design. Plastic cost-effective, although not much higher than the metal, but because it is not necessary to tighten the secondary processing and assembly, reduce the overall cost. In addition, due to the ease of injection molding, the complex process design and model to beautify it possible, also contributed to the metal-plastic alternative.

At the same time, the growth of the BRIC demand for cars will automotive plastics suppliers to provide new business opportunities. Although the United States and the European car market after the subprime mortgage crisis flagging demand, but Brazil, Russia, India and China, the demand is still strong, so car manufacturers and upstream suppliers of raw materials will focus on these areas for future car use plastic enhance the preparation.

Plastics accounted for about 12% of medium-sized passenger cars, mainly used in automotive exterior, interior and under the hood parts, mainly automotive plastics polypropylene (PP), polyurethane (PU), polyamide (PA ), ABS and so on. Currently used in automotive exterior and interior plastic mature, and the plastic applications under the hood is still in its infancy.

Frost & Sullivan said in a report, PP is mainly used in automotive exterior and interior plastic, accounting for 45.5% of the usage of the automotive plastics is expected from 2009 to 2016, the amount of average annual compound growth rate of 8.5%, 2016 consumption will reach 488 million tons; PU is mainly used in car seats, accounting for 17.5% of the total usage, due to its good structural performance, but also in automotive NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) system in extension, and the estimated amount of the compound annual growth rate of 6.8% in 2009 and 2016, the amount will reach 168 million tons in 2016; PA is mainly used in automotive under-hood components, including the radiator fan cover, intake manifold, hood radiator end tank and battery tray position, replace the metal pipe, thermostat housing, charging duct, water pump impeller and water valves and other components there is still great potential for development, it is expected that from 2009 to 2016 the amount of average annual compound growth rate up to 10.6%, the amount of 2016 will reach 1.222 million tons; ABS engineering plastics are mainly used in automotive interior dashboard, grille, decorative, ceiling and car audio components, is expected from 2009 to 2016 the average annual amount of The compound annual growth rate of up to 4.4%, the amount will reach 65 million tons by 2016.

Persistent efforts in environmental policy and plastic with excellent characteristics, the car with a plastic market rapid development, but many of the negative factors also affect the future of product promotion.