Polyolefin Structural Foam for Automotive Use

Polyolefin structural foams have the potential for large usage in the automotive industry because they have all the attractive properties of the solid polyolefins, plus greater rigidity at a lower cost for molds and molding machinery. The advantages to the automobile manufacturer include: lighter vehicle weight, lower cost, better balance to offset safety and antipollution devices, greater collision safety, noise reduction, better resistance to corrosion, and a smoother ride. Preliminary designs and economic studies were performed for several automobile parts including bucket seats, hoods, rear deck lids, dash panel inserts, air-conditioner housings, etc.