Durability of an Interior Component Made of Bio-PA for the Automotive Industry

The project is being carried out as part of the twelve-part collaborative project Bebio2, which focuses broadly on the durability of bioplastics for various application scenarios.

In this project, a collaboration between the Institute of Materials Science (IfW) at the University of Kassel and the Institute of Plastics Technology (IKT) at the University of Stuttgart is investigating the durability of biopolyamides for use in automotive interiors. Currently, plastics are used in the automotive industry for a wide variety of applications due to their properties, which can be specifically tailored. Although these plastics contribute to weight savings due to their low density, they are currently petroleum-based and thus contribute significantly to the consumption of fossil resources. To improve the sustainability of plastics in this sector, this project aims to demonstrate the suitability of bio-based alternatives. To this end, a collaborative assessment is being conducted, with the IKT performing mechanical characterization, aging, and media storage tests, and the IfW analyzing emissions, odor, and fogging properties.

To determine the suitability of the materials under investigation, methods used include human sensory tests conducted with test subjects based on industry-standard testing specifications.

In addition to emission and odor measurements, the work at the IfW focuses primarily on investigating the fogging properties of the materials under examination. In the context of automotive interiors, the term “fogging” refers to the condensation of evaporated components of the material on the vehicle’s windows. This can result in a significant impairment of visibility through the windshield.