Nouryon Introduces Expancel HP92 Microspheres to Reduce Weight of Underbody Paints and Sealants

Nouryon, a polymer chemicals company, has introduced a new innovation in thermoplastic microsphere fillers for high-pressure manufacturing processes in the automotive industry: Expancel HP92 microspheres.Lightweight materials are in high demand from automakers to meet increasingly stringent emissions regulations and consumer appetite for fuel-efficient vehicles that do not compromise performance or passenger comfort.

Image credit: Nouryon

Expancel microspheres consist of a gas-encapsulated polymer shell.When heated, the gas expands, allowing the microspheres to act as a lightweight filler and blowing agent, resulting in lighter end products and different surface effects.The microspheres also reduce raw material requirements and weight, thereby reducing cost and environmental impact.

Underbody coatings and seam sealants are essential for reducing noise and protecting the underbody from the environment.During storage, pumping and spraying, pressures of up to 350 bar may be generated.Current thermoplastic microsphere fillers fail in this process, thereby increasing density and deteriorating surface finish.

The new Expancel HP92 microspheres have excellent stability, returning to their original shape after pressurization more than 4 times faster than conventional microspheres, even in DINP (diisononyl phthalate).

"When used in underbody coatings and sealants, Expancel HP92 microspheres enable automotive customers to use high pressure application processes on surfaces, compared to older grades of thermoplastic microspheres," said Sylvia Winkel Pettersson, vice president of engineering polymers at Nouryon. , the volume recovery rate of its original shape after pressurization is improved by a factor of four. Our technology is designed to combine the pressure resistance associated with glass microsphere grades with the lightweight properties of thermoplastic microsphere fillers and optimize them to form a A refined solution.”

Expancel HP92 microspheres are currently produced in Stockvik, Sweden, and are expected to be produced in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA in early 2023, and will be sold globally through the Nouryon distribution network.