Extrusion 1-2024

➠ Adsale Exhibition Services Limited www.ChinaplasOnline.com Hydrogen energy is an inevitable choice for the strategic transformation of carbon neutrality (Photo: 588ku.com) 25 Extrusion 1/2024 lymer is also suitable for battery pack ma- nufacturing while Envalior's thermoplastic materials meet the requirements of bat- tery module immersed insulating coolant. Low-carbon and eco-friendly materi- als reduce emissions : Carbon emission reduction has become the buzzword in the automotive industry. Some automak- ers have announced their targets and ac- tion plans for carbon neutrality. Using low-carbon and eco-friendly materials, such as recycled plastics, bio-based mate- rials and spray-free materials, are ones of the most important measures for auto- makers to reduce carbon emissions. Regarding recycled plastics, BMW and Volkswagen are gradually increasing the proportion of recycled plastics in new cars; Honda and Toray are exploring the potential application of chemically recy- cled nylon 6 in the automotive sector; Magna has introduced mono-material, 100% recyclable material for car seat foam cushion and trim parts. Compared with conventional fossil-based materials, there is advantage of bio-based materials to lower the cost of raw mate- rial and have been favored by automakers in recent years. Concept cars such as KIA's EV3 and EV4 use natural fibers and mycelium to reduce carbon footprint. Po- lestar and Röchling are ready to launch the first bio-based thermal management cooling kettle. Using spray-free materials is also an ef- fective way to reduce carbon emissions. Toyota's interior uses BASF's spray-free polyamide, and Honda has joined hands with Mitsubishi Chemical to develop spray-free coloring PMMA that can be used for car body and interior. Many examples demonstrate that auto- makers, parts manufacturers and materi- als suppliers are collaborating across the value chain to develop a sustainable ro- admap for automotive plastics. Hydrogen fuel cell cars on the track : A number of automakers have affirmed that hydrogen energy is an inevitable choice for the strategic transformation of carbon neutrality. Hydrogen vehicles can be refueled in just 4 to 5 minutes and have a driving range of up to 500 km. The BMW iX5 hydrogen fuel cell car has completed road testing in Europe; Hyun- dai’s NEXO has the highest sales volume in the world; Toyota’s CROWN SEDAN is equipped with three hydrogen storage tanks and has a compre- hensive driving range of up to 820 km. So what materials would have the poten- tial in hydrogen vehicle applications? Hy- drogen storage tank, which is indis- pensable for hydrogen vehicle, is mostly made of carbon fiber. Toray's high- strength carbon fiber is used for high- pressure hydrogen storage cylinder for 70 MPa vehicle; Evonik's amine curing agent VESTAMIN ® is used for epoxy systems, and the company’s Ancamine ® can be used for rapid infiltration of fiber, allo- wing the tank to lose up to 70% of its weight. Meanwhile, hydrogen storage tank liners require polymers with strong hydrogen barrier property to prevent from hydro- gen leakage, such as Arkema's RILSAN PA11, which can be used to produce high-pressure hydrogen storage cylinder liners that are resistant to low tempera- tures and high-pressure hydrogen blister- ing. The era of all-electric vehicle around the corner : More automakers are enrich- ing their product matrices to embrace the approaching all-electric vehicle era and to meet the demand for luxury mobility in the Chinese market. At 2023 China International Import Expo, 15 overseas automakers put NEV under the spotlight. At the same time, Benz, Ja- guar Land Rover, Porsche, etc. have launched high-end EVs priced at more than one million yuan. With Volkswagen taking a stake in XPENG Motors and Stellantis, Maserati's parent company, investing in Leapmotor, foreign automakers have reaffirmed the importance they attach to China's auto- motive market. When it comes to the global market, the European Union will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035, and The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) has offici- ally come into force, granting zero-tariff treatment to Chinese exports of automo- biles and parts. These policies present op- portunities to the automotive industry. Represented by Chery, Great Wall and BYD, Chinese automakers have enhanced their influence in their journey of explor- ing overseas markets. As the saying goes, automakers are look- ing for breakthroughs under the trend of “reverse joint venture” and “exporting technology". The materials and proces- sing technologies that boost intelligenti- zation, lightweighting, and decarboniza- tion of NEV will also face new challenges and opportunities. Unleash the Possibilities in Automo- tive Industry at CHINAPLAS 2024 : CHINAPLAS 2024 is set to make a strong comeback to Shanghai on April 23 to 26, 2024 , and will bring together the la- test solutions in intelligent transportation, energy efficiency, environmental health, and other technological and process ap- plications in the fairground, shaping in- novative and sustainable development in the automotive industry. The show will occupy all 15 exhibition halls of the Na- tional Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai, PR China, with a total exhibition area of over 380,000 sqm. It is ready to receive more than 4,000 exhibitors from around the world.