New Products to Enhance the Light and Thermal Stability of Polyolefins for Automotive Applications

Polyolefin-based materials such as polypropylene and TPO are widely used in the automotive industry due to their good balance of physical properties, ease of processing, recyclability, and low cost. Developing the proper stabilization formulations to meet the weatherability, long term thermal stability, and other requirements of automotive interior and exterior applications can be a challenging task. This paper will summarize the performance criteria that need to be considered in developing a stabilization system and will present an overview of several new products developed by Ciba to meet the needs of the automotive market. Data will be presented comparing the performance of new and existing stabilization systems for color and gloss retention of TPO and polypropylene during accelerated weathering (SAE J1960 and SAE J1885) and retention of tensile properties on long term heat aging at temperatures up to 150°C. The effect of stabilization systems on important secondary properties such as coating adhesion and resistance to warehouse discoloration will also be discussed. Ciba's new products enable TPO and polypropylene to meet current automotive requirements and will also facilitate their use in more demanding automotive applications by extending their weatherability and long term thermal stability.