Cables automotive industry

The favorable balance of properties of ethylene—acryflc elastomers has gained commercial acceptance for these elastomers in a number of demanding applications, especially in the automotive industry and in wire and cable jacketing. 

Poly(2-chloro-1,3-butadlene) or polychloroprene, (-CH2C(CI)=CHCH2-)n, CAS 9010-98-4, is a polymer widely used in practice, for example in automotive industry for the fabrication of belts, gaskets, electrical cables covering, etc. (mainly in vulcanized form). The older procedure for chloroprene preparation starts with acetylene, which is subject to catalytic dimerization followed by addition of HCI to the vinylacetylene molecule. 

With the high-temperature solution polymerization processes, various ethylene homo- and copolymers with different average molecular mass and copolymer compositions are produced. The product portfolio comprises PE-HD, PE-LLD, PE-VLD, and the ethylene/propylene elastomers (EPM, EPDM) (see Figure 2). The thermoplastic products have a wide range of applications [1]. The elastomeric ethylene/propylene copolymers can also be applied widely in the automotive industry, for plastics modification, in industrial applications such as seals, in electrical cables, and in tires [2], Uncured ethylene/propylene copolymers are applicable as viscosity index improvers for lubricant oils [5]. 

The classic sensor consists of a housing, connector, NTC, heat-conducting material, and gasket. So far there is no standard in the automotive industry for temperature sensors. In the market we find an endless variety of threads, NTC curves, connectors or cable exit with connector, gasket materials, and housing materials. There are certain trends though (Tab. 7.5.2). In a market survey 35 temperature sensors used by European manufacturers for underhood applications... 

Ethylene-propylene rubber finds application in the electrical industry and in the manufacture of electrical equipment. One of the primary applications is as an insulating material. It is used for medium-voltage (up to 35 kV) and secondary network power cable, coverings for line and multiplex distribution wire, jacketing and insulation for types S and SJ flexible cords, and insulation for automotive ignition cable. 

Use of stabihzers containing lead was discontinued in Scandinavia and the Benelux countries in 2001/2002. The automotive industry has been converting to lead-free cabling since 2003. 

Similar applications can be achieved by blending the polyolefin with the mbber to be used in cables, wires, footwear, and automotive industry. 

Product complexity is characterized by factors such as increasing of functions and components, but also component complexity, when a component integrates more functions and subcomponents. For instance, the number of electric components has increased in cars and therefore, the total length of the electric cables used in today s generation of well-known cars has reached a multiple of their initial values. Furthermore, components such as headlamps have been improved to include more functions, but also more sub-components such as sensors which are connected with the CAN-bus. These very small examples can give a brief impression of the real challenge that is to be tackled in product development nowadays and in particular, in the automotive industry. 

The main advantages of PP over PE in the automotive industry are its higher temperature resistance and better mechanical properties of nonhalogen flame resistant formulations. Therefore, the use of PP in the under-hood applications is common. The automotive industry wants to move away from PVC. Typically, the automobile ignition cables are made of EPDM or TPO. 

Acrylate polymers are often used in many applications that require good optical properties. However, they are unsuitable for use in the automotive industry because of their brittle characteristics. Thus, when natural rubber is blended with poly(methyl methacrylate), there is a big improvement in the elasticity of the brittle acrylate polymers. It is of interest that thermoplastic natural rubbers are relatively new products in the rubber industry and are fastgrowing items in the polymer market. The acrylate polymers blended with natural rubber can improve various properties of both the natural rubber and the acrylate polymers such as elasticity, adhesion, processability properties, and transparency. These materials are known for their excellent processability, characteristic of acrylate polymers, and their elasticity property provided by natural rubber, thus they exhibit the typical properties of elastomeric materials and can be processed with thermoplastic processing equipment used to prepare acrylate polymers. Many of their interesting properties have been widely developed for several industrial applications such as in the automotive industry, household appliances, medical devices, electrical cables, and headphone cables. ... 

The new elastomers are particularly relevant to the automotive industry because they offer better properties - particularly heat, oil and fuel resistance - than the established materials such as natural and synthetic rubber and plasticized PVC. Among the most important types are PUR elastomers, PBT block copolymers, EPDM olefinic terpolymers and ethylene-acrylic elastomers. Typical applications are the traditional rubbery ones of gaskets, seals, gaiters and cable covers, but set in the aggressive underbonnet environment of today s performance vehicles. Beyond this, however, there are examples where these materials are sufficiently versatile to have been selected, sometimes with reinforcement, as engineering components in their own right. 

The automotive industry was dependent on rubber cable insulation throughout its formative years. Cable sheathing with extruded PVC began during the Second World War, focusing on the needs of military aircraft it was therefore some years before the motor industry achieved its present state of dependency on PVC. 

EPDM rubber is used in the automotive industry for gaskets, wipers, bumpers, and belts. In the tire industry, EPM and EPDM play a role as a blending component, especially for sidewalls. Furthermore, EPDM is used for cable insulation and in the housing industry, for roofing as well as for many other purposes, replacing special rubbers [204]. 

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