Synthetic mineral fiber compound plays its part in vehicle lightweighting

French automotive plastics component producer Mecaplast (Monaco) reports that it can make significant weight reductions in injection molded TPO parts by partially replacing talc filler with Hyperform HPR-803i, a synthetic mineral-based reinforcing fiber from Milliken (Spartanburg, SC).

Demonstrating this, Mecaplast has adopted a TPO compound containing a mix of talc and Hyperform HPR-803i (total additive content around 10 percent by weight) to mold prototype B-pillar covers that it normally supplies in a conventional 20 percent talc-filled TPO (elastomer-modified polypropylene) compound. The prototype parts weighed 524 g, seven percent less than the commercial parts. The compound has a density of 0.98 g/cm3, which compares with 1.04 g/cm3 for a 20 percent talc-filled TPO with similar mechanical properties.
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( Source: Plastics Today )