New TPO and Coating Technology for Bumper without 1.1.1-Trichloroethane

Thermo plastic olefin(TPO) for automotive bumper has poor paintability and 1.1.1-trichloroethane vapor treatment is applied in order to improve the paintability. 1.1.1-trichloroethane has the function of not only degreasing, but also it etches and swells the substrate.

This paper introduces an alternative technology of modified TPO substrate with functional group which was newly developed. Also developed were a waterborne primer and aqueous based cleaning to show effect on specially TPO without the use of 1.1.1-trichlororthane which will be phased out by the end of 1995 to meet the Montreal Protocol.