Muttenz, October 10, 2019 – Clariant will focus attention on improving automotive sustainability when it hosts a presentation by Joachim Melzig, Dipl. Ing. Kunststofftechnik, BMW Group, during K 2019, the international plastics trade fair being held October 16 – 23 at Messe Dusseldorf in Germany. Entitled “Injection molding of structural foam. A Clariant and BMW success story” the presentation takes place on the Clariant stand (Hall 8a / J11) on Friday, 18 October, at 2:30 pm.

Mr. Melzig will explain how BMW has used Clariant HYDROCEROL chemical foaming agents (CFAs) in the dashboards in almost all of their vehicles, including the 3 series and 5 series. The additive not only reduces the weight of the dashboards, but also improves mechanical properties like bending strength -- the ability to withstand shock loading during a collision for instance. The project is a key component in the automaker’s effort to reduce vehicle weight, improve fuel economy and cut the amount of polymer material used.
 

Added to plastics during processing, HYDROCEROL is activated by heat and releases gas. This gas forms a cellular foam structure from inside while the outer skin remains solid so that the foam is not visible from outside. Because the gas displaces the polymer, less plastic is needed to produce an acceptable part. HYDROCEROL can be processed on almost any commercially available injection molding unit. In BMW’s case, the density reduction was especially dramatic because CFAs were used in combination with core-back technology – a process that opens the mold slightly to further reduce pressure and allow the foam core to expand.

HYDROCEROL offers other processing advantages too. In contrast to conventional molding, it is not necessary to use holding pressure for foaming since pressure would suppress the foam formation. This results in energy savings due to lower cycle times and lower clamping forces needed.

MORE SUSTAINABILITY
Thanks to sustainability benefits like light-weighting, material savings, reduced use of fossil resources, energy savings and an overall smaller carbon footprint, besides the usage of safe and harmless raw materials, HYDROCEROL has been awarded the EcoTain® label given by Clariant for sustainability excellence.

EcoTain is a Clariant flagship label awarded to products that pass a systematic, in-depth screening process using 36 criteria spanning three sustainability dimensions: social, environmental and economic. An EcoTain designation highlights solutions that offer outstanding sustainability advantages without compromising on performance, and that add value to customers and society as a whole.

Discover more on how Clariant is supporting a circular economy for plastics through sustainable innovations and collaborations. Meet Clariant leaders and partners at our “Symphony of Collaboration” themed K 2019 media event on October 17, 8:15am media breakfast followed by 9am press conference, hall 8a / J11. Register on www.clariant.com/K2019 or by emailing Stefanie Nehlsen at [email protected].