LG Chem develops durable, lightweight plastic for solar panel frames and auto parts

On October 19, LG Chem (LG Chem) took the lead in developing the plastic material "LUPOY EU5201" that can replace the metal of the solar panel frame and officially put it into the market
.
The material adopts original technology and manufacturing process.
It is a PC/ASA flame retardant material with small thermal expansion coefficient and no deformation due to temperature difference
.
Among them, PC/ASA is an engineering plastic with high physical properties made of polycarbonate (Polycarbonate) mixed with ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate, acrylonitrile) resin
.

The solar panel frame is located at the edge of the panel and has the function of supporting the panel and protecting it from external impacts
.
Since the material is exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time, such as building exterior walls and roofs, durability against heat and corrosion is required
.
The frame accounts for about 10% of the solar panel and is mainly made of aluminum alloy
.

The "LUPOY EU5201" developed by LG Chem this time is a high-performance engineering plastic material that adds glass fiber to the polycarbonate compound to improve the mechanical properties of general plastics
.

Compared to existing aluminum frames, the material has the same durability but half the weight and is very competitively priced
.
In addition, this material also has excellent dimensional stability, it can still maintain its shape under temperature changes, and it is not easy to be deteriorated or deformed by the external environment
.

By reducing chemical breakdown caused by UV exposure, the material can greatly increase the lifespan of products compared to typical plastics so that their color does not change even after prolonged exposure to sunlight
.
By replacing aluminum with LG Chem's new engineering plastic materials, it is expected to not only reduce material costs, but also significantly reduce the weight of solar panels, thereby effectively improving the convenience of transportation and installation
.

LG Chem can also develop PCR PC (Post-Consumer Recycled Polycarbonate) technology that can recycle plastics used by ordinary consumers, and can use high-content PCR raw materials to manufacture environmentally friendly and low-carbon products according to customer needs
.

In the future, the company also plans to recycle discarded solar panel frames to be used again in the manufacture of PCR PCs
.
After mass production in the first half of this year, LG Chem will begin full sales of the material in the third quarter
.
Based on the supply of solar panel frames, it is applied to the interior and exterior materials of automobiles
.

"Compared with aluminum frames, solar panel frames made of plastic are easier to install and have huge market potential," said Steven Kim, head of LG Chem's engineering materials business
.
to lead the fast-growing solar materials market
.
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