Underbody compound

Light-weight underbody compound. [Data from Malbom, L Lysell, L, us Patent 5,629,364, May 13, 1997.]... 

The hot dip process is used to coat wire baskets, brackets etc., and depends on preheating the object to be coated (100-120 °C) and dipping it into the plastisol where the PVC gels around the object. Cold dip and spray coating is used on fabrics, such as lined gloves, or metal, such as underbody sealant. These are subsequently gelled in an oven. The use of an infrared system to cure PVC sealant compound has also been introduced (343). 

Apart from underbody coating (usually PVC based), which is not explained further, the majority of bonding and sealing products in the paint shop are also PVC compounds. Acrylate plastisols are not often used and polyurethane-based sealants are rarely found. The main applications are in seam sealing and antiflutter bonding. On a small scale there are adhesive applications to bond and seal caps and to fix sound deadeners. In addition, foams and butyls as well as bituminous or acrylic-based sealants are used to fill car body holes. 

In another recent development, postconsumer recycled PP is being used in the TPO underbody moldings of the 2009 Ford Flex vehicle. Supplier Flex-n-Gate supplies about 9 kg of the material per vehicle for use in splash shields, spoilers, and radiator air deflectors. The material must be compounded with additives to offer and Improve Its UV stability and Impact strength. However, because the recycled material s cost is not tied to raw petroleum prices, the supplier says that significant cost savings are possible, m comparison with virgm material. 

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