At Chinaplas 2010 Sabic Innovative Plastics announced a new portfolio of advanced Noryl and Valox automotive resins designed to help customers create alternative powertrain solutions by displacing weight and increasing performance for hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV).

“This announcement clearly answers the call to cut fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide in favor of cleaner, better and more economical and environmentally responsible propulsion systems,” the company said in a statement.

“In addition to helping usher in a new era of greener powertrain technologies, Sabic Innovative Plastics’ new materials offer OEMs superior impact strength, toughness, high-temperature resistance and other high-performance properties vs competitive materials to give these manufactures a huge edge in the high-stakes global automotive arena.”

Plastics reduce weight

Although hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric vehicles can reduce fuel consumption and emissions, the additional weight of battery packs – up to 300 kg (approx 661 lbs) on a mid-sized car – can undermine environmental benefits. To reduce weight, plastics can replace steel in different applications such as battery housings, an approach that is already being taken with leading auto manufacturers.

“Noryl polyphenylene oxide (PPO) and Valox polybutadiene terephthalate (PBT) resins from Sabic Innovative Plastics are excellent choices for battery components, including frames and housings. These resins also offer significant weight reduction, chemical and temperature resistance, dimensional stability and flame retardance,” the company asserted.

Unlike traditional automotive lead-acid batteries, new higher energy density battery packs are composed of many separate battery cells – up to 200 in some cases – and the structure around these cells and their electronic control systems must maintain stringent dimensional stability.

Sabic Innovative Plastics’ Noryl and Noryl GTX resins offer lower initial mould shrink and warp; lower moisture uptake that minimises dimensional and mechanical property changes; and a lower and more stable coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). These high-end properties help keep the performance of the battery pack system stable regardless of potential changes in environment such as temperature, humidity, and load.