New-Generation PC/ABS Blends Help Meet Performance & Styling Requirements for Instrument Panel & Other Interior Components 2005-01-1218

New targets for auto-interior components seek to improve thermal aging, low-temperature impact strength, recyclability, emissions/odor, processing productivity, and costs in order to meet new requirements for a 10-year car and new standards for consumer comfort. The pace of these demands is creating opportunities for blending technologies in a range of applications, including instrument panels, glove-box doors, top covers, retainers, and trim.

A new generation of high-performance polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) resins based on proprietary formulation technology has been specifically developed to meet these demands in IP and other interior applications. This paper will focus specifically on a high-impact grade for IPs (in both standard- and low-emission formulations). This new technology was benchmarked against several earlier generation products from the same family, a new high-flow version using the same technology, and several competitive offsets. The results show a new class of PC/ABS blends offering best-in-class thermal aging, hydrolytic stability, low-temperature impact strength, and - for select applications - excellent odor and emissions. This has been accomplished without sacrificing processing performance. In fact, the new grades offer a broader processing window and faster cycle times for increased productivity and lower part costs.