Blowing agents make the world of plastics significantly lighter. They save not only on weight, materials, transport costs and energy but also open up completely new possibilities when meeting special requirements in plastics development. Read about some practical examples here.
WEIGHT REDUCTION IN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURE
The automobile industry was one of the most significant pioneers in lightweight engineering technology. Although over the years more and more electronics have been integrated into cars, vehicle weight hardly increased. The secret: the chassis, but above all the plastic interiors, became lighter and lighter from one model series to the next. In the case of plastic components like door panels, cladding and dashboards this was mainly thanks to blowing agents. They have the ability to reduce weight by up to 25 percent without negatively impacting other properties like impact resistance or stability.
1% blowing agent masterbatch for 24% less weight
A real life example is the interior door cladding of a Chinese automobile manufacturer in which the newly developed masterbatch LUVOBATCH® PE BA 5821 was used as a blowing agent. With a low dosage of only one percent blowing agent masterbatch the weight per panel could be reduced by 24 percent. The door cladding made of polypropylene/polyethylene now weighs in at just over one kilogram. The endothermic blowing agent is free of azodicarbonamide (ADC) and thus physiologically non-hazardous. In addition, the inferior look and feel of the surface, which often occurs in thermoplastic foam injection molding, could be avoided in this case thanks to a uniform foam structure with extremely fine cells.
A FEATHERWEIGHT THANKS TO BLOWING AGENT GRANULES
Premium in look and feel: this high-quality interior door cladding weighs only 1070 grams.
IMPROVING COMFORT AND HANDLING
The automotive industry is just one of many cases demonstrating the effective use of blowing agent masterbatches. After all, the topic of weight reduction is at the top of the agenda everywhere in plastics production: whether to reduce energy consumption or simply for more convenient handling. This also applies to underground sewage pipes, which were formerly made of metal and could only be laid with heavy machinery. Today, they are mostly made of PVC-U, which is foamed with blowing agents to increase resilience. With the aid of this process, the density of the inner layer can be reduced to almost one-third, compared to the compact outer layers. These types of underground sewage pipes are pure featherweights compared with their unwieldy forerunners.
The use of blowing agents in PVC pipes leads to a density reduction of two thirds in the inner layer.
HARD SHELL, LIGHTWEIGHT CORE
In most cases, underground sewage pipes are made of foamed plastics.
Sample image. Does not represent the original product.
ALTERNATIVE TO NATURAL MATERIALS
Wood plastic compounds (WPC) are a relatively unknown area of application for blowing agents. Polymers with cellulose fibers are processed to produce outdoor decking that looks like wood. The low weight, which is close to that of balsa wood, can only be achieved by using blowing agents. The same applies to cladding on facades. Whereas in the past many homes were covered in unsightly Eternit panels, it is now possible to use foamed plastic panels to imitate a wide range of colors and materials – even teak cladding. At the same time, these panels are significantly faster and easier to install due to their minimal weight.
WEATHERPROOF AND EASY CARE
Many wood plastic compounds contain blowing agent additives.
Sample image. Does not represent the original product.
MAKING DAILY LIFE EASIER – WORD!
In our everyday lives too, we use a whole range of household appliances that have been made lighter with the aid of blowing agents. Perhaps some of you still remember the heavy die-cast metal lawn mowers. Just moving them was a weekly workout. Nowadays, lawn mowers, leaf blowers and pressure washers are child’s play to lift and move. This is thanks to many of the components, especially the sound insulation, being made of foamed plastics.
Sound insulation combined with weight reduction leads to significantly easier handling.
THE DRIVING FORCE OF SUSTAINABILITY
When it comes to the topic of blowing agents however, it’s not just about weight – but also about sensible savings on raw materials. That can be seen best in the food packaging industry: blowing agents are also effective in the manufacture of films and plastics. In recent years, thanks to a new formula, it has been possible to reduce use of resources in the form of polymers by up to 30 percent.
Resource conservation and CO2 savings due to fewer polymers and lower transport costs
In the case of polyolefin films their density could be reduced by around 25 percent using blowing agents. This results in less packaging waste with the goods still optimally protected. More and more consumers are deliberately reaching for products that declare themselves as having “less packaging.” In this respect, weight reduction is not only a sustainability issue, but also ensures a competitive edge.
GAINING THE SUSTAINABLE EDGE
In recent years, new formulas have made it possible to save up to 30 percent of resources in the form of polymers.
