Polymeric materials/polymers automotive applications

The science and technology of polymer blends has now acquired an important position in the area of development of new polymeric materials. Moreover, the application of polymer blends has increased significantly and is expected to continue to grow. Of the total consumption of engineering polymers, more than 20 percent is currently thought to be composed of blends with important and various applications in the automotive, electrical and electronic industry, in computer and business equipment housings, in medical components, etc. Annually about 4900 patents related to polymer blends are published world-wide. 

Some of the most useful polyphosphazenes are fluoroalkoxy derivatives and amorphous copolymers (11.27) that are practicable as flame-retardant, hydrocarbon solvent- and oil-resistant elastomers, which have found aerospace and automotive applications. Polymers such as the amorphous comb polymer poly[bis(methoxyethoxyethoxy)phosphazene] (11.28) weakly coordinate Li " ions and are of substantial interest as components of polymeric electrolytes in battery technology. Polyphosphazenes are also of interest as biomedical materials and bioinert, bioactive, membrane-forming and bioerodable materials and hydrogels have been prepared. 

The introduction of HALS led to a large increase of the UV stability of polymeric materials. Without the discovery of HALS, the outdoor applicability of many polymers would be limited. So would the use of polypropylene in automotive application without the use of HALS be impossible. 

Depending on the distribution of micro/nanofiller in the polymer matrix, the composites may be classified as microcomposites or nanocomposites. These two types of composites differ significantly with respect to their properties. The nanocomposites show improved properties compared to pure polymer or that of microcomposites. It started only back in 1990, when Toyota research group showed that the use of montmorillonite can improve the mechanical, thermal, and flame retardant properties of polymeric materials without hampering the optical translucency behaviour of the matrix. Since then, the majority of research has been focused in improving the physicochemical properties, e.g. mechanical, thermal, electrical, barrier etc. properties of polymer nanocomposites using cost effective and environmental friendly nanofillers with the aim of extending the applications of these materials in automotive, aerospace, construction, electronic, etc. as well as their day to day life use. The improvements in the majority of their properties have invariably been attributed... 

The commercial importance of polymers has been driving intense applications in the form of composites in various fields, such as aerospace, automotive, marine, infrastructure, military etc. Performance during use is a key factor of any composite material, which decides the real fate of products during use in outdoor applications. Whatever the application, there is often a natural concern regarding the durability of polymeric materials partly because of their useftil lifetime, maintenance and replacement. 

Polymers and polymer composites have been increasinqly used in place of metals for various industries namely, aerospace, automotive, bio-medical, computer, electrophotography, fiber, and rubber tire. Thus, an understanding of the interactions between polymers and between a polymer and a rigid counterface can enhance the applications of polymers under various environments. In meeting this need, polymer tribology has evolved to deal with friction, lubrication and wear of polymeric materials and to answer some of the problems related to polymer-polymer interactions or oolymer-rigid body interactions. 

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