The new microspheres developed by Nouryon allow to reduce weight and withstand high pressure in underbody coatings and sealants.
Nouryon has launched the Expancel® HP92 thermoplastic microspheres fillers, specifically developed to reduce the weight of underbody coatings and sealants and withstand high-pressure.
When heated, the gas encapsulated in the polymer shell of the microspheres expands, allowing to use Expancel microspheres as a lightweight filler and blowing agent to make end products lighter and obtain different surface effects. In addition, requiring less raw material and reducing weight, the new product developed by Nouryon ensures reduced costs and environmental impact.
Automotive manufacturers are increasingly needing lightweight materials, in order to meet the stricter emission regulations and the strong consumer interest in fuel-efficient vehicles that do not compromise on performance or passenger comfort.
“The ability to produce lightweight solutions for our key markets presents tremendous growth opportunities for Nouryon as our customers increasingly focus on implementing more sustainable solutions. Our customers in the transportation industry are looking for innovations that address several technical requirements in one product and we are proud to support them with a solution that not only improves fuel efficiency, enhances acoustics and seals for harsh weather conditions but also supports the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions,” has stated Johan Landfors, Executive Vice President and President of Technology Solutions and Europe at Nouryon
“When used in underbody coatings and sealants, Expancel® HP92 microspheres allow our customers in the automotive industry to use high-pressure application processes on surfaces with up to four times better volume recovery to its original shape after pressurization compared to an older grade of thermoplastic microsphere,” has also added Sylvia Winkel Pettersson, Vice President of Engineered Polymers at Nouryon. “Our technology is aimed at combining and optimizing the pressure resistance associated with glass microsphere grades with the light weight of thermoplastic microspheres fillers in one refined solution.”