Absorbing the Stress – Demonstrating the Properties of New Advanced Copolymers

Unlike metals, thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO) show different creep behaviour over time that is also dependent on the temperature exposure of the component and the load that is applied. One example for an automotive part that is constantly exposed to elevated temperatures and mechanical stress are the front-end modules. These components sit in the front of the engine compartment and also carry water cooling systems and/or fans. The material that is chosen for this application needs to display high toughness and stiffness to take mechanical stress without losing its shape. With a normal engine compartment temperature of normally 120°C, glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene compounds such as LyondellBasell Hostacom grades can offer an economic alternative to engineered polymers.

New advanced polypropylene copolymers developed by LyondellBasell display an improved property profile and are expanding the use of Hostacom products in this application. To show the outstanding deformation behavior over time of these new materials, LyondellBasell displays an experimental setup on their booth compared to other glass fiber materials of the same toughness.

On display are white advanced copolymer samples with 40%, 30%, 20% and no glass-fiber reinforcement compared with corresponding standard homopolymer samples (black). Samples with the same glass fiber content have been loaded with the same weight. Some advanced copolymers samples carry a higher load.

“The new advanced copolymers show high creep resistance over time combined with a good material ductility”, says Klaus Klemm, customer project manager for LyondellBasell, “and are therefore able to absorb a higher load compared with the standard polymer samples.

LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) is one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world. Driven by its 13,000 employees around the globe, LyondellBasell produces materials and products that are key to advancing solutions to modern challenges like enhancing food safety through lightweight and flexible packaging, protecting the purity of water supplies through stronger and more versatile pipes, and improving the safety, comfort and fuel efficiency of many of the cars and trucks on the road. LyondellBasell sells products into approximately 100 countries and is the world’s largest licensor of polyolefin technologies. In 2018, LyondellBasell was named to Fortune magazine’s list of the “World’s Most Admired Companies.”