Mazda develops bio-based engineering plastic with high-quality finish without paint

Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that, in conjunction with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, it has developed a new bio-based engineering plastic that can be used for exterior design parts for automobiles.

The new plastic will help Mazda to reduce its impact on the environment in a number of ways. As the plastic is made from plant-derived materials, its adoption will help to curb the use of petroleum resources and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, the material can be dyed and emissions of volatile organic compounds associated with the painting process reduced. Dyed parts made from the bio-based engineering plastic feature a finish of higher-quality than can be achieved with traditional painted plastic. The deep hue and smooth, mirror-like finish of the surface make the newly-developed plastic suitable for external vehicle parts with a high design factor.

Mazda will display the prototype ‘Mazda Biotechmaterial’ parts made from the bio-based engineering plastic at Eco-Products 2014, one of Japan's largest exhibitions of environmental technologies and environmentally-friendly products and services, which opens on Thursday, December 11 through to December 13, 2014 at Tokyo Big Sight.

Mazda has been proactively developing technologies in the biomass field for a number of years. To date, under the Mazda Biotechmaterial name, the company has succeeded in developing the automotive industry's first high-strength heat-resistant plant-derived bioplastic for auto interior parts, and the world's first biofabric for vehicle seat upholstery made entirely from plant-derived fiber. However, to be suitable for exterior parts, plastics are required to possess not only a high quality finish, but also excellent weather, scratch and impact resistance in order to stand up to harsh environmental factors to which they are exposed. Achieving this combination of characteristics with bioplastics has posed a technical challenge.

Now, Mazda says it has succeeded in making a material suitable for both interior and exterior parts. This has been achieved by optimizing the composition of a newly developed, highly moldable and durable bioplastic base material with additives and coloring agents (patent pending), and optimizing moulding specifications. This will enable the company to produce parts that are as durable as conventional painted ABS plastic parts yet feature a higher quality finish.

This bio-based engineering plastic will be used for the first time for interior parts for the all-new Mazda MX-5 which will be launched globally in 2015. Moving forward, it will be used for exterior parts in other production models.