Properties of chemically foamed polypropylene materials for application to automobile interior door panels

Abstract

Abstract In recent years, alternative approaches have been implemented in the automotive sector to reduce raw material costs and protect the environment. An increase in weight causes both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to rise. This study aims to reduce exhaust emissions due to weight reduction by using foamed polypropylene in the door panel production of a subcompact crossover SUV car and saving energy by shortening the injection cycle time. The newly produced 2 % ITP 822 chemical foaming agent added door panel was compared with the current door panel performances. As a result of foam morphology structure, impact, and hardness tests, it was decided that ITP 822 is a suitable chemical foaming agent. In addition, a weight reduction of 5.2 % was achieved. Moreover, the injection cycle time has been reduced by approximately 12 %, reducing the total cycle time from 35 s to 31 s.