Improving passenger comfort
Strategically located for exports throughout the South East Asia region, Thailand as one of the world’s automotive producers attracts lots of global car manufacturers’ investments. With the increasing amount of population using car as their main source of transportation, they are likely to spend more time in their cars that can provide the level of comfort and relaxation they desire. With the assistance of Evonik’s TEGOSTAB®, passenger will be having a more enjoyable experience in the car.
To support the increasing demand in automotive industry in South East Asia, lots of well-known car manufacturers build factories and increase their existing production capacity in Thailand. Such as Japanese brand Honda is currently building their new production plant in the Prachinburi Province, which will add 120,000 vehicles to the existing production of 280,000 units from its another factory in Ayutthaya Province; another Japanese brand Mazda is also building a new transmission plant in Thailand. With the present of all the famous automotive manufacturers, including Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Chevrolet, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, showcasing Thailand as the vehicle production and export hub of South East Asia for the world's top carmakers.
The increasing demand in automotive industry also shows that cars are seen as primary means of transportation by many, especially in the South East Asia region. According to a research finding, the world average travel time from home to work with car is about 25 minutes in one direction. With an increase amount of time spent in one’s car comes a proportionate desire for comfort, especially for the car seats, that’s why today’s car seats are commonly made of polyurethane foam. On average, passenger cars usually contain 30 kg of polyurethane foam, found in different components within the vehicle. These include the steering wheel, headrests, roof linings, armrests and instrument panels. Apart from improving the level of comfort within the car, it also enriches the overall driving experience. For example, the foam used in door panels are tailored for sound absorption.
To assist the car manufacturers to satisfy the raising demand, and to further improve the level of comfort that enhance driving pleasure to the consumers, Evonik innovated TEGOSTAB® B 8745 LF2, an additive that helps the foams for automotive seating applications to deliver special performance. By using it as a surfactant, the miscibility of the foam will be enhanced, with better miscibility it helps to reduce the number of concentrated urea areas, increased areas of hardness in the foam. Due to this feature, there is a more uniform density and hardness distribution throughout the foam. This excellent emulsification property can help to decrease foam defects related to mixing, therefore increasing foam quality and reducing scrap rates. A more uniform cell structure translates into more comfort where the consumer needs it most.
In addition, as phthalates are considered to be harmful and toxic materials, Evonik’s TEGOSTAB® B 8745 LF2 is completely phthalate free, which will meet future considerations from automotive manufacturers and government organizations worldwide. TEGOSTAB® B 8745 LF2 delivers a unique environment-friendly silicone surfactant which provides maximum process improvement and flexibility, as people nowadays spend more time driving, they should spend less time concerned about their comfort.
