Evonik presented vehicle glazing options with PMMA with the MicroMax concept vehicle, among other features. “Since Plexiglas glazing offers great potential in vehicle construction, we are pursuing two development lines so as to offer our customers the widest possible range,” says Michael Träxler, Senior Vice President of the Evonik Acrylic Polymers Business Line. Evonik is therefore working on both monolithic and multilayer systems based on Plexiglas. Various monolithic systems with a scratch-resistant hard coating have already received ECE R 43 certification for side, rear and roof glazing, and are being used in a number of prototypes. These include the electric concept vehicle MicroMax, produced by Swiss think tank Rinspeed. The material was chosen because it can be formed more freely and fabricated more easily than glass by means of injection moulding and all other thermoforming processes. This allows for highly curved or pointed shapes. The combination of several functions is also possible, for example, non-movable windows that include a black pillar trim part and tail light all in one unit. At the same time, functional integration can help to reduce installation depth, thus saving weight. Also, PMMA glazing elements are said to be about 40 to 50% lighter than conventional glass window panes, but to be tough all the same.
In 2014, Evonik is launching a new impact-modified moulding compound for glazing applications. This increases the variety of processing options – from currently thermoforming to now also injection and compression moulding.
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The MicroMax from Swiss think tank Rinspeed is completely glazed with Plexiglas. (photo: Rinspeed)
