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NEW POLYCARBONATE BLEND FOR AUTOMOTIVE INSTRUMENT PANELS
Bayblend DP T88 Plus from Bayer MaterialScience AG is a new material for the production of instrument panels. ”Its strength lies in its excellent adherence to fast-reacting polyurethane foam systems used for padding instrument panels. Generally speaking, this removes the need for elaborate pretreatment of these components using primer, which enables savings to be made in materials, logistics, machine investment, and production space,” explains Martin Häussler, Technical Manager for Bayblend T in Technical Product Management at Bayer MaterialScience AG. This rubber-modified blend, based on polycarbonate and styrene acrylonitrile copolymer, passes Volkswagen’s blooming test, for example, which investigates the adhesive properties of polyurethane foam systems on instrument panels after aging in warm, damp conditions. This glass-fiber-reinforced material, samples of which are currently being trialed by various customers, also boasts other impressive properties. It is 25 percent easier flowing, around a third more impact resistant, and approximately 15 percent stiffer than PC/ABS Bayblend T88-2N, which has become an established material for instrument panel production. Furthermore, the material exhibits far greater toughness than styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer and an extremely low tendency to fracture, which is important for safety-related component areas such as that surrounding the airbag flap. The outstanding thermal aging properties are at a far higher level and may be like those of Bayblend KU 2-1522, which sets standards for this property in polycarbonate blends for instrument panels. The new PC/SAN/rubber blend is far more dimensionally stable than glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene, the leading competitor material for instrument panels. Thanks to its lower shrinkage and reduced distortion, it can be used for narrower gap dimensions. The higher elasticity modulus also enables instrument panels to be designed with thinner walls, which results in material savings and short cooling times, thereby enhancing productivity. The high heat resistance of 136 °C (Vicat/VSTB 120) has the advantage that heat resistance requirements for instrument panels can easily be satisfied in the design. In the case of PP GF, the design needs to be more sophisticated and often involves the use of metal supports. http://www.bayermaterialscience.com
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