Polypropylene Composite Resin Adhesion and Impact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Polypropylene composite resins used in vehicle interiors have low surface friction coefficients, leading to poor adhesion with covering materials, resulting in quality defects and increased costs due to additional adhesion processes, which are not eco-friendly.

Innovation Solution

A polypropylene composite resin composition is developed, comprising a polypropylene polymer fraction, a low-specific gravity polyethylene resin fraction, a thermoplastic elastomer, a silane-based propylene polymer, and an inorganic filler, optimized to enhance impact resistance and adhesion with a high friction coefficient, eliminating the need for separate adhesion processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If polypropylene composite resin is used for vehicle interior materials, then weight reduction and cost competitiveness are improved, but surface friction coefficient is low leading to poor adhesion with covering materials

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle weightVSAvoidadhesion quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite material system consisting of polypropylene resin as base, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer as adhesion promoter, and polyethylene wax as friction modifier. This multi-component composite resolves the contradiction by combining materials with different functions: polypropylene provides lightweight structure, EVOH copolymer provides adhesion through polar groups, and polyethylene wax increases surface friction coefficient to 0.6 or higher, enabling reliable adhesion without compromising weight reduction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If additional adhesion process is applied to improve adhesion, then adhesion quality is improved, but manufacturing cost and process complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion qualityVSAvoidmanufacturing process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the adhesion function into the base polypropylene resin itself by incorporating ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and polyethylene wax during the resin compounding stage. This integration eliminates the need for separate adhesion processes such as plasma treatment or chemical coating, achieving both good adhesion quality and manufacturing simplicity through a single-step extrusion and molding process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If additional adhesion process is applied to improve adhesion, then adhesion quality is improved, but harmful materials in vehicle increase affecting eco-friendliness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion qualityVSAvoidharmful materials
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex adhesion processes that may require harmful chemicals with a simple resin compounding approach using food-grade polyethylene wax and commercially available EVOH copolymer. These materials are inherently safe, non-toxic, and comply with vehicle interior emission standards, achieving eco-friendly adhesion without compromising quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The composition achieves improved adhesion with foam and skin materials, maintains excellent mechanical properties, reduces defects, and simplifies the manufacturing process while being eco-friendly, applicable to various interior components like sun visors and door trims.

Implementation Method 1

a silane-based propylene polymer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSilane grafting: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

a thermoplastic elastomer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact absorption: Viscoelasticity

Data Source

PatentUS9944782B2Composition of polypropylene having high impact strength and high adhesion
Publication Date: 2018.04.17 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A composition of polypropylene composite resin having high impact strength and high adhesion is provided. The composition of polypropylene composite resin having high impact strength and high adhesion can largely enhance base adhesion and impact resistance due to a high friction coefficient while providing a similar mechanical property to the related art. The compositions provided herein include mixing a polypropylene polymer, a polyethylene resin composition, and a thermoplastic elastomer, a silane-based propylene polymer, and an inorganic filler as main components at a specific content ratio. The compositions have advantages including process simplification, cost reduction, and eco-friendly without a separate adhering process. Such compositions can be used for interior components such as sun visors, door trims, pillar trims of vehicles and various other industrial components and materials.