Driving Sustainability Forward with Plastics for Automotive
When it comes to improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions, auto manufacturers have made tremendous strides in alternative powertrain technology, such as hybrid and electric. But, let's not forget the unsung hero in the quest for a more sustainable automobile – plastics.
Accounting for roughly 50 percent of a typical vehicle's volume and approximately 10 percent of total vehicle weight1, plastics are an important ingredient in the manufacture of today's automobiles, offering a range of performance properties, flexible design opportunities, and light weight. Styron is a leading provider of plastics-enabled solutions for interior and exterior applications that address increased energy efficiency, improved safety and health, reduced exhaust emissions, and enhanced vehicle quality and appeal.
Styron products such as MAGNUM™ ABS resins, PULSE™ engineering resins, INSPIRE™ performance polymers and VELVEX™ reinforced elastomers are commonly used in the production of various automotive parts – from instrument panels and consoles, to trim components and body panels.
As a leading supplier to premium manufacturers, Styron places high focus on working to improve the fuel efficiency of automobiles. A Styron technical team, in close cooperation with Audi, developed an innovative blow molded seatback using PULSE engineering resins. The seatback concept passed the most severe European luggage retention crash test and received the 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Innovation Award in the safety category. PULSE resins, a completely recyclable material, also helped the seatback achieve a weight reduction of approximately 25 percent compared to conventional steel constructions – an important statistic when you consider that for every 10 percent reduction in total vehicle weight, fuel economy improves by 5 to 7 percent.1 And, for every kilogram of vehicle weight reduction, there is a potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by close to 20 kilograms over the vehicle's operating life. Multiply that by the more than 600 million vehicles globally, and the benefits can add up.1
In addition to their light weight, plastics offer other cost-effective and safety-related benefits for automotive applications. They can be designed to achieve energy absorption during a crash; offer chemical, corrosion and heat resistance; and act as thermal and electrical conductors and insulators. Plastics also give engineers and designers flexibility to create attractive and functional features - all important considerations for auto makers, as consumers demand the ultimate combination of safety, quality appearance, and efficiency.
Find out more about how Styron automotive plastics is powering ideas in sustainability, comfort, efficiency, and safety.
1ICIS Chemical Business, June 2, 2010
2American Chemistry Council report on plastics used in headlamp lenses
