The Polyplastics Group, a leading global supplier of engineering thermoplastics, has introduced an approach of using its less heat-resistant plastics products for EV cooling components. Polyplastics sees strong potential for less heat-resistant plastics such as polyoxymethylene (POM) and polypropylene (PP) for production of EV cooling components.
To learn more about the Polyplastics approach for EV cooling components, please visit: https://www.polyplastics-global.com/en/approach/24.html
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As the automotive industry moves from traditional combustion engine vehicles to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), OEMs and parts manufacturers are reimagining the types of materials that can meet the thermal management needs of EVs. Polyplastics believes that less heat-resistant plastics like POM and PP have a significant potential for manufacturing EV cooling components.
The coolant in combustion engines is typically maintained at a temperature of 70-100 C but can climb to 120 C or higher if the engine overheats. Therefore, metals or highly heat-resistant plastics like polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) are used in cooling components and lines. In comparison, EVs require a long-life coolant (LLC) temperature of 100 C or lower. This allows for the use of less heat-resistant materials for BEV-specific components.
When the temperature of a LLC is 100 C or lower, general-purpose engineering plastics like POM or PP can be used instead of metals or high-performance engineering plastics. In the case of PP, Polyplastics sees potential for PP-LGF (long glass fiber) instead of short glass fiber to increase strength, dimensional accuracy, and overall performance. It also offers DURACON (R) bG-POM made with biomass as an eco-friendly option.
Replacing highly heat-resistant plastics such as PPS with POM and PP not only reduces material costs but also helps with efforts to reduce CO2 by reducing the carbon footprint of materials and energy consumption during molding.
*DURACON (R) is a trademark of Polyplastics Co., Ltd. in Japan and other countries.
About Polyplastics: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202310271868-O1-TLyAy94V.pdf
Source: Polyplastics Co., Ltd.