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PARALOID™ Impact Modifiers for Automotive Applications
Impact Modification and Toughening Solutions for Automotive Polymer Systems
Modern automotive design increasingly relies on plastics and polymer composites to reduce weight, improve efficiency, and enable greater design flexibility. As metal components are replaced with polymer systems, material performance requirements continue to rise. Traditional plastic formulations are too brittle to withstand the harsh conditions in applications for automotive and transportation parts. Automotive plastics must withstand mechanical impact, vibration, temperature fluctuations, and long term environmental exposure without sacrificing durability or surface quality. PARALOID™ Impact Modifiers from Dow play a critical role in meeting these demands. These impact modifiers and processing additives are widely used to improve toughness, reliability, and long term performance in automotive plastics, adhesives, and composite systems.
Why Impact Modification Is Critical in Automotive Plastics
Thermoplastic formulations play an essential role in the automotive industry due to their ability to withstand engine compartments' high temperatures and their inherent lightweight nature. Plastics also have outstanding resistance to combustion products and solvents. Furthermore, they can be metal plated for decorative internal components of the vehicle.
The impact strength of polymer systems such as polyvinyl chlorides and engineered resins is typically low or insufficient for what the automotive industry demands room and sub-zero temperatures. Impact modifier additives are not only necessary but are ideal for automotive applications as they improve the impact strength of the polymer resin while maintaining the lightweight, mechanical properties, design freedom, and easy fabrication required by the automotive industry.
Dow Chemical Company's Paraloid™ portfolio of impact modifiers and processing aids (PPA) improves the strength and processability of polymer resins and plastic alloys.
Acrylic Impact Modifiers (Butyl Acrylates)
Acrylic Impact Modifiers (Butyl Acrylates)
- Core-shell acrylic structures (MMA and acrylate rubber core)
- Thermal stability for high-temperature applications such as hot melt
- UV and light stability for use in outdoor applications
- Glass transition temperature or softening temp (Tg ± - 45°C)
- MMA core-shell and butadiene styrene core
- Excellent high-impact resistance at low temperatures and low add rates
- High weathering resistance for use in indoor and outdoor applications
- Glass transition temperature or softening temp (Tg ± - 75°C)
- Assists in and controls fusion along with initial melting
- Increased melt strength and extensibility
- Improves homogeneity and tensile strength
- Enhanced cohesion and rheology
- Prevents melt fracturing
Where PARALOID™ Impact Modifiers Are Used in the Vehicle
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- Automotive Under-the-hood plastic parts
- Plastics used near engines and powertrain systems are exposed to elevated temperatures, chemicals, and mechanical stress. Impact modified thermoplastics help improve durability and reliability in these demanding environments while maintaining lightweight advantages.
- Plastic interiors in automobiles and transportation vehicles
- Automotive plastic components must resist cracking from road debris, vibration, thermal cycling, and environmental exposure. PARALOID™ Impact Modifiers help maintain toughness and surface quality in exterior parts while supporting dimensional stability and aesthetics in interior components.
Select the Ideal Paraloid™ Product for Your Resin or Formulation Type
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| Function/ PVC Type | Flexible PVC | Rigid PVC (Opaque) |
Rigid PVC (Clear) |
Foam PVC |
| Processing Aids Only | ||||
| PARALOID™ K-125 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| PARALOID™ K-175 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| PARALOID™ K-120ND | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| PARALOID™ K-130D | ✔ | |||
| PARALOID™ K-400 | ✔ | |||
| PARALOID™ K-416 | ✔ | |||
| PARALOID™ K-445 | ✔ | |||
| Impact Modifier Only | ||||
| PARALOID™ BTA-751U | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| PARALOID™ KM 334 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| PARALOID™ KM 5000 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Processing Aid and Impact modifier | ||||
| PARALOID™ KM 100 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Resin Type | Epoxy Resins | Polylactic Acid (PLA) Resin |
Low Temp Engineered Resin |
High Temp Engineered Resin |
| PARALOID EXL™ 2314 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| PARALOID EXL™ 2300G | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| PARALOID EXL™ 2330 | ✔ | |||
| PARALOID EXL™ 2335 | ✔ | |||
| PARALOID EXL™ 2650J | ✔ | |||
| PARALOID EXL™ 2690 | ✔ | |||
| PARALOID EXL™ 2691J | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| PARALOID EXL™ BPM-520 | ✔ |
Enabling Durable, Lightweight Automotive Materials
As automotive OEMs continue to push for lighter multimaterial designs, polymer additives will continue to play a critical role in the long-term material performance. Selecting the right impact modifier requires balancing toughness, stiffness, processability, and long term durability.
High-performance PARALOID™ Impact Modifiers allow automotive manufacturers to maintain efficiency and overall consumer performance expectations for their vehicles. Talk to one of our technical specialists about which Paraloid™ Impact Modifier or Processing Aid works best for your automotive application.
As automotive OEMs continue to push for lighter multimaterial designs, polymer additives will continue to play a critical role in the long-term material performance. Selecting the right impact modifier requires balancing toughness, stiffness, processability, and long term durability.
High-performance PARALOID™ Impact Modifiers allow automotive manufacturers to maintain efficiency and overall consumer performance expectations for their vehicles. Talk to one of our technical specialists about which Paraloid™ Impact Modifier or Processing Aid works best for your automotive application.
PARALOID and the DOW Diamond are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow.
NOTICE: No freedom from infringement of any patent owned by Dow or others is to be inferred. Because use conditions and applicable laws may differ from one location to another and may change with time, Customer is responsible for determining whether products and the information in this document are appropriate for Customer's use and for ensuring that Customer's workplace and disposal practices are in compliance with applicable laws and other government enactments. The product shown in this literature may not be available for sale and/or available in all geographies where Dow is represented. The claims made may not have been approved for use in all countries. Dow assumes no obligation or liability for the information in this document. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean the Dow legal entity selling the products to Customer unless otherwise expressly noted. NO WARRANTIES ARE GIVEN; ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED.
NOTICE: No freedom from infringement of any patent owned by Dow or others is to be inferred. Because use conditions and applicable laws may differ from one location to another and may change with time, Customer is responsible for determining whether products and the information in this document are appropriate for Customer's use and for ensuring that Customer's workplace and disposal practices are in compliance with applicable laws and other government enactments. The product shown in this literature may not be available for sale and/or available in all geographies where Dow is represented. The claims made may not have been approved for use in all countries. Dow assumes no obligation or liability for the information in this document. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean the Dow legal entity selling the products to Customer unless otherwise expressly noted. NO WARRANTIES ARE GIVEN; ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED.
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