TERM PAPER

MECHAICS

PHY 101

Topic: POLYMERS IN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

Submitted to: Submitted by:

Ms.PREET KAUR Mr. PRAVEEN KUMAR

Deptt. Of Physics Roll. No. RE4903B36

Section.E4903

Reg.No.10904812

Class. B.TECH (ME)

 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I greatefully acknowledge the work on topic in which prof.have made valuable suggestion which
I have incorporated in this work. It not possible for me to acknowledge all of them individually. I
take this opportunity to express my gratitude to them. I am also beholden to my college us
friends. To prof.preet kaur I am greatful for having taken time to go through portion of the topic
and valuable comments.

Finally, I thank the members of faculty for their support and encouragement to
motivating me.

ABSTRACT

Gradually, owing to economic and technological reasons, in the last thirty years, plastics have
gained an increasing presence in automobiles. This paper examines the use of plastics in the
Brazilian car industry. First, polymers are classified according to their technical and economic
characteristics. The paper then reports briefly on the Brazilian polymer industry, as well as on
the auto industry, focusing on its great potential for attracting technological innovations. The
main applications for plastics in cars are also outlined. Finally, the paper discusses the question
of technological innovation in the Brazilian polymer industry, with the auto industry as a
catalyst.
Contents:-

1. Introduction

2. History

3. Polymers

3.1 What is polymer?

3.2 Structure of polymer.

3.3 Types of polymer.

4. Automobile industry:

4.1 What is Automobile?

4.2 Uses of polymers in automobile industry.

4.3 Polymer in automobile manufacturing.

4.4 Interiors of car

4.5 types of polymers used in automobile.

5. Application

6. Future prospective

7. Reference

a) E-books

b) Books.
 1. Introduction:-
Although the word plastic, first used around 1990, is a commonly used synonym for polymer,
plastics are one of numerous polymeric materials and have extremely large molecules. Consumer
and industrial products made of polymers include food And beverage containers, packaging,
signs, housewares, textiales, medical devices foame, paints, safety shields, and toys The word
plastics is form the Greek word plastikos, meaning “it can be molded and shape.” Plastics can be
machined, cast, formed, and joined into many shapes with relative ease. Minimal or no additional
surface finishing operations are required, sheet, plate, film, rodw, and rubbing of various cross-
sections. The word polymer was

Polymeric materials are widely used in automotive applications, and their presence continues to
grow. North American consumption of polymers in the automotive industry was more than three
million tonnes in 1996, with a roughly comparable level of consumption in Europe and Japan.
More than 10% of the weight of a typical automobile consisted of polymeric components in
1996, and the % is growing. Almost all of the visible surface of the exterior and the passenger
area are modern automobile is a polymer of some kind, in coating, adhesives,fabrics,carpets
,instrument pannel,body pannel,bumper cover, wheel cover, tires,seals,and transparent lenses.
The only large component apparently not a synthetic polymer is the transparent window glass.
Yet, even the windshield contains a thin polymeric layer designed to increase occupant safety in
the event of a collision by keeping shattered glass in place. The use of polymeric materials has,
in fact contributed to the viability of the industry itself; it is difficult to imagine an automobile
without rubber tires, or paint for that matter. The factors that are increasing the use of polymer in
automotive applications are primarily economic. With performance characteristics necessary, but
often not sufficient criteria for success. An application is a viable one for plastics only if the
material provides superior performance at a system cost equivalent to or lower than the currently
used material. Cost therefore, becomes as important an intrinsic material property as any other.
In some cases, there are no alternatives to polymers,
e.g. rubber tires. In cases where polymers compete with metal or glass, cost vs. performance is
critical. Most polymers compete with one another for a given application. And the lowest cost
system is always favored. Performances characteristics that encourage polymer use in
automotive application include low density, corrosion resistance, generally good impact
toughness, and chemical resistance, along with other specific physical, chemical electrical and
mechanical properties. The necessity of including multiple, mutually contradictory perfomance
characteristics emphasize the need for blends of various polymers.

Many different types of polymers are used in automotive applications, and all the major
processes for forming, shaping, or producing components from these polymers are employed.
The largest category of polymers consumed are thermoset rubbers, such as poly (styrene-co-
butadien) and (butadiene-co-acrylonitrile), among others.

2. History:-
The history of the automobile begins as early as 1769, with the creation of steam powered
automobiles capable of human transportIn 1806, the first cars powered by internal combustion
engines running on fuel gas appeared, which led to the introduction in 1885 of the ubiquitous
modern gasoline or petrol-fueled internal combustion engine. Cars powered by electricity briefly
appeared at the turn of the 20th century but largely disappeared from commonality until the turn
of the 21st century, when interest in low- and zero-emissions transportation was reignited. As
such, the early history of the automobile can be divided into a number of eras based on the
prevalent method of automotive propulsion during that time. Later periods were defined by
trends in exterior styling and size and utility preferences.

Figure 1

A report published today shows a steady increase in the use of plastics by Europe’s car
manufacturing industry since the 1970s, rising to nearly two million tonnes today.
By volume, plastics are now the most widely specified material. However, plastics’ low weight
means they account for about 10 per cent of the total weight of a modern car. The study, carried
out by Mavel on behalf of the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe, examines the use
of plastics in cars over the last three decades in Europe with specific reference to France,
Germany and Italy. The report shows that this increase in the use of plastics is particularly
dramatic in certain types of cars. For example, some of the cars surveyed registered a four-fold
increase in their use of plastics between the 1970s and 1990s.

Figure 2

3. Polymers
3.1. What is polymer?
The simplest definition of a polymer is something made of many units. The units
Or “monomers” are small molecules that usually contain ten or less atoms in a row. Carbon and
hydrogen are the most common atoms in monomers, but oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine, fluorine,
silicon and sulfur may also be present. Think of a polymer as a chain in which the monomers are
linked together to make a chain with at least 1000 atoms in a row. It is this feature of large size
that gives polymers their special properties. Polymerization can be demonstrated by linking
countless strips of construction paper together to make paper garlands or hooking together
hundreds of paper clips or gum wrappers together to form extended chains.
Polymers are found in the human body, animals, plants, minerals and manufactured products.
Substances like the following contain polymers: diamond, concrete, quartz, glass, nylon, plastics,
DNA, tires, cotton, hair, bread, and paint. The macromolecule can have different end units,
branches in the chain, variations in the sequence of the monomers, and different monomers
repeated in the same chain which leads to the large number of manufactured polymers as well as
all of the natural polymers. Natural polymers are in living animals and plants as building
materials, storage substances and playing a role in biochemical reactions.

3.2. Sturcture of polymer

3.3.types of polymers.
Commodity plastics

 Polyethylene
 Polystyrene
 Polypropylene
 Poly(vinyl chloride)
 Poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Specialty or Engineering Plastics

 Poly(tetrafluoroethylene)
 Polycarbonate (Lexan)
 Polyesters and Polyamides (Nylon)

3.4. Physical properties of polymers

The properties of polymers are dependent on many factors including inter and intrachain
bonding, the nature of the backbone, processing events, absence of additives including other
polymers, chain size and geometry, and molecular weight distribution. While most materials
have melting, freezing and boiling, polymers do not boil because the energy necessary to put a
polymer into the vapor state is greater than the bond energies of the atoms that hold the polymer
together, thus they degrade prior to boiling. In order for a polymer to be flexible, its various units
or segments must be able to move. The glass transition temperature (T g ) is the temperature
where polymer units or segments can move but the entire chain cannot. Most vinyl polymers
have T g values below room temperature so that they appear to be flexible and act as rubber and
plastic materials. Most condensation polymers have T g values above room temperature and are
used as hard plastics and fibers. The temperature where entire chain movement occurs is called
the melting point (T m ) and is greater than the T g .

Many polymers are themselves brittle at room temperature. For these polymers to become more
pliable, additives called plasticizers that allow segmental mobility, and consequently segmental
flexibility, are added.
4. Automobile industry:

4.1 What is automobile?

An automobile, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers,
which also carries its own engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles
are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have
four wheels, and to be constructed principally for the transport of people rather than goods.
However, the term automobile is far from precise, because there are many types of vehicles that
do similar tasks.

Figure 3
4.2. Uses of polymers in automobile industry.

A report published today shows a steady increase in the use of plastics by Europe’s car
manufacturing industry since the 1970s, rising to nearly two million tonnes today. By volume,
plastics are now the most widely specified material. However, plastics’ low weight means they
account for about 10 per cent of the total weight of a modern car. The study, carried out by
Mavel on behalf of the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe, examines the use of
plastics in cars over the last three decades in Europe with specific reference to France, Germany
and Italy.
The report shows that this increase in the use of plastics is particularly dramatic in certain type of
cars. For example, some of the cars surveyed registered a four-fold increase in their use of
plastics between the 1970s and 1990s.It is estimated that, on average, 100 kilograms of plastics
replaces 200-300 kilograms of conventional material, reducing fuel consumption by 750 liters
over a life span of 150 000 kilometers. Additional calculations across all cars suggest that this
cuts oil consumption by 12 million tones and reduces CO2 emissions by 30 million tonnes per
year in Western Europe alone. Twelve million tonnes of oil equates to approximately 10 per cent
of passenger fuel consumption in Western Europe in 1996.

Figure4
Figure 4

The fundamental materials of modern tires are rubber and fabric along with other compound
chemicals. Their constructive make-up consists of the tread and the body. The tread provides
traction while the body ensures support.
4.3 plastic in automobile manufacturing.

High-grade plastics are indispensable in the automobile industry today. Their use reduces the
weight of vehicles - and that saves fuel. And with greater stability, driving becomes safer. It is
therefore essential to be able to process plastics efficiently. At BMW, they recognize the
advantages of plastics. In their Landshut works in Germany, the cars are fitted with components
made of polyurethane. The components are manufactured on-site: Four compact tanks made by
H&S Anlagentechnik GmbH/Sulingen, Germany take care of storage, conditioning and transport
of the plastic components. The result is that production is always environmentally friendly; it is
economical, and the products are of a consistently high quality. Additional advantages of
polymers working in BMW's favor: plastics can be installed quickly and easily - saving in
commissioning time, more than 30% for plant start-up, and makes for a much tidier plant,
clarifying system design throughout the field. That's why BMW is sticking with Siemens in
Germany. The rubber and plastics industry, initially focused on automotive sub-contracting, has
successfully diversified its activities in other industries such as electronics, home-appliances,
bottle extrusion for perfumes and cosmetics, plastic furnishings and food packaging.

Figure 6
4.4. Interiors of car-

Sheets made of Polyvinyl Chloride ABS, PVC foam or polyolefin’s suitable for thermoforming
are used to mold the dashboards and door panels. Trim elements are molded in polypropylene,
which is highly resistant to scratches.

Figure 5

The instrument panel (IP) system on the 1995 Lincoln Continental contains parts molded from
eight different engineering resins made by GE Plastics. Of these, particular note is given to
CYCOLAC® GHT4400 ABS resin from GE Plastics, which was specified by Ford Motor
Company for the structural air conditioning (AC) duct, providing a substructure for the overall IP
system. The AC duct represents the first commercial automotive application of a passive restraint
one-piece (structural) IP system for GE Plastics. The largest single component in the
Continental's IP system, the AC duct weighs 11 pounds and supports the IP substrate; air
management system and knee bolster reaction surfaces. The CYCOLAC resin specified for the
application is an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polymer selected for its high heat resistance and
dimensional stability over a wide temperature range. The duct provides a rigid substructure for
the IP assembly, resulting in reduced noise and squeaks coming from the IP. The structural IP
concept was developed to meet the many challenges of parts consolidation, weight reduction,
design for manufacturing and system cost savings. The one-piece molded duct actually replaces
17 functional metal parts, helping to reduce weight, assembly time, inventory and material costs.
"The concept of the structural duct incorporated into a current IP system is a major step toward
implementing the first integrated and fully functional one-piece IP system in automotive
applications," said Todd Rosin, GE Plastics industry manager for instrument panel systems. The
Continental's overall IP system features several applications which specify resins manufactured
by GE Plastics, including a new air bag support application made from LEXAN® EM1210 resin.
As one of GE Plastics® flagship materials, LEXAN resin gives the air bag support high impact
strength and resistance, and offers consistent performance over a broad temperature range. The
part attaches directly to the structural AC duct..
4.5. types of polymers used in automobile.

I. Silent block bushes-

We manufacture and export a wide range of silent block bush which are used in suspension
systems in the automotive industry. These rubber-to-metal bonded parts are fabricated from
various polymers such as NR, NBR, SBR and Polyurethane as per its usage requirement and
applications.

5. Application:

Applications for polymeric material in automobiles are classified by location and functional
categories. Location categories include exterior, which encompasses all application visible from
from exterior of an automobile; ineior which rfers to the location within the passenger cabinor
cargo area; and underhood, which includes components, as well as all under body location.
Functionalio categories identify applicat by function or by the function by the system with which
they are associated. Automatic tires, which made automobile practcal, remain Avery large
application for thermoset polymers. Almost half of all of polymers consumed today are thermost
elastomers which must meet very stringent for the resiliency, comperession set were, low
hesteric, gas permeability, and other key properties.another

So the use of thermoplastic is rapidely growing with major application for

condensation.polymers such as styrenics and acrylics; and coorditions such as polyolefines
illustrative the relative proportion polymers consumed in automative application in northamerica.
As can be seen, theremost rubber still dominate consumption
6. Future prospective:
Plastics encompass a wide variety of functional polymeric compounds that exhibit a vast range
of desirableproperties. They are durable, strong and lightweight. They can be made transparent,
translucent or opaque;soft, flexible or hard in almost any shape, size or color. They can be heat-,
chemical- and corrosionresistant.They are excellent thermal and electrical insulators and also can
be made electrically andthermally conductive. Because of plastics’ versatility, they are extremely
cost-effective in a wide variety of commercial applications including a broad range of uses in the
transportation market.
A revolution in automotive technology is underway globally. Automobiles of the 21st century
will featureradically improved safety and sustainability attributes. Safety R&D is embracing
active and passivesystems, and advanced vehicle propulsion R&D is tackling cleaner, more
reliable energy sources. Theinnovations currently under development across multiple
transportation venues including aerospace havethe potential to alter automotive vehicle designs
and supporting infrastructures around the globe by 2025.
These revolutionary changes suggest a critical need to rethink vehicle architecture and materials
requirements. Versatile, durable, and lightweight plastics, plastic composites and plastic-metal
hybridmaterials that increase the efficiency, crashworthiness, and functionality of today’s
vehicles hold immensepotential to radically enable and optimize advanced vehicle technologies
for the future.
7. References

e-books:-

a) www.google.com

b) www.wkipedia.com

c) http://www.en.wkipedia.org/wiki/

d) http://www.emercedesbenz.com/tmages

e) http://www.privatefleel.com.an/images/

books:-

a) Concept of physics –Dr.k.c

b) Organic chemistry –Raymond chang.

c) Manufacturing processes for engineering materials- serope kalpakjian.

d) Performance of plastics-witold Brostow.