Covestro develops material solutions for car interior

Covestro and its partners have developed a premium concept with material solutions for the interior and presented it for the first time at the K 2019 plastics fair.

“In particular, a high-quality and individual design has considerable influence on consumers' buying decisions while providing car manufacturers opportunities for brand differentiation,” explained Jochen Hardt, Global Marketing Mobility in the Polycarbonates segment at Covestro, in a live webcast to journalists.

“Here, the focus is on the design of surfaces using colours, optics and haptics, with light effects and functions. Products from Covestro open up almost unlimited possibilities.”

Plastics such as the polycarbonate Makrolon and the polycarbonate blends Bayblend and Makroblend are lightweight and robust and ensure good thermal and electrical insulation. They can be used to implement a wide range of design solutions, with glass-like surfaces, many colours and options for integrating displays, sensors and cameras.

Wafer-thin layers of natural materials such as wood and marble will play a vital role in the car interior of the future. On the surface of injection-moulded components made of the polycarbonate Makrolon Ai (derived from "Automotive interior"), they are ideal for creating a feel-good ambience.

The floor in the prototype car interior concept has light from a polycarbonate part shining through a wafer-thin layer of marble. This effect could also be created by coating it with a digitally printed film.

But the high transparency of polycarbonate itself can also be used to create lighting effects, for example by illuminating the background or edges.

Covestro anticipates growing demand for increasingly personalised lighting experiences and functions.

Polycarbonate also forms the basis for continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites called Maezio. The unidirectional arrangement of the fibres lends the surface a special aesthetic effect. In addition, the seat shells made from it and a new space-saving table are very light and exceptionally robust.

In the interior concept, the waterborne floor topcoat is based on the polyurethane (PU) raw materials Bayhydrol and Bayhydur, which give it durability and individuality. The aqueous INSQIN PU technology for textile coating is used in the headrests, instrument panel and seats.