December 17, 2025
Modified plastics have become indispensable in automotive manufacturing due to their superior properties in flame retardancy, strength, impact resistance, and toughness compared to general-purpose plastics. The automotive sector is the fastest-growing market for these materials, driven by two main factors: steady global vehicle production growth and the industry-wide push for lightweighting, which increases the volume of modified plastics used per vehicle. This trend is transforming vehicle design and component manufacturing.
Modified plastics contribute significantly across various vehicle systems. For dashboards, modified polypropylene (PP) is commonly used for the substrate, often toughened with rubber and inorganic fillers. Higher-end vehicles may use soft skins made from PVC/ABS blends, leveraging ABS's mechanical properties to complement PVC. For door panels, materials like ABS and PP form the inner skeleton, with surface buffer layers made from PP foam or textiles. Some advanced applications even use glass fiber reinforced sheet molding compound (SMC) or natural fiber composites for further weight reduction and improved acoustics. Body covers, such as the engine hood, roof, and trunk lid, benefit from modified plastics as they allow for smoother surfaces, more precise dimensions, and better control over weight, noise, and vibration compared to metal. Under the hood, the application is more challenging due to high loads and temperatures. Modified plastics like reinforced PBT and POM are successfully used in the drive suspension system and wear-resistant parts of the steering and brake systems. Bumpers are a major application, where materials like TPO for the outer skin, glass fiber reinforced plastics for structural parts, and foamed PP for energy absorption are now designed for easier recycling. For fuel tanks, modified plastics based on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), co-polyamide, or layered structures with EVOH resin provide excellent chemical resistance and safety. Engine components, such as intake manifolds, are increasingly made from glass-reinforced polyamide (e.g., PA66) using advanced processes. Materials for engine peripherals must endure temperatures over 220°C and retain properties in sub-zero conditions. Finally, for clutch execution systems, long glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics (LFRT) like nylon are replacing metals, offering high stability, corrosion resistance, and lower cost.
