Automotive markets to provide growth stimulus to additive demand

The global automotive industry has been exerting newer and more stringent demands on plastics.
For instance, automobile manufactures would like to extend lifetime, particularly when plastics are used for exterior applications, from the existing 5 years to 10 years, requiring plastics to have increased thermo-oxidative stability as well weathering.

Polypropylene is being increasingly used in automobiles for the sake of environment and ease of recycling. This has provided stimulus to growth of antioxidants that provide long term stability at higher temperature and lightstabilizers that provide extended weatherability. In fact, lightstabilizers are expected to grow at more than 6% per year for the next 5 years.

Productivity increase is another key requirement for automotive moulders to keep lower costs. To achieve better productivity, fast cycling is needed. This can be achieved by incorporation of nucleating agents. In addition, these nucleating agents help in achieving better 'stiffness-toughness balance'. Obviously, nucleating agents are poised for high growth.

Plastics are increasingly used in "under the hood" compartments where high temperature and enhanced fire resistance are key requirements. The wire used in hoods requires to have higher temperature resistance. PVC wire can certainly be used upto 105 degree C with good safety. However, if higher temperature like 125 degree C is required, polyolefin cable with flame retardants would be required. Infact, increasing demand of flame retardancy in automobiles has provided stimulus to flame retardants. Increasing environmental pressures provide better opportunities to non-halogen flame retardants.

Two other types of additives are also driven by increasing demand of better mechanical properties. Reinforcing fillers such as long fibers are the new growth areas. Similarly nano clays are also poised to grow faster in the coming years. The second class of additives; namely "Coupling Agents" to provide good adhesion or bonding between polymer and reinforcing fillers would also have good growth prospects.

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