GM likes potential of new polymer

General Motors says a new polymer material targeted for applications that now use metal could be on cars within six months.

The modified liquid crystal polymer is being developed by Quantum Leap Packaging, Inc., of Wilmington, Mass., in cooperation with GM.

The main benefits of the polymer are a low coefficient of expansion similar to steel, high stiffness and a density comparable with magnesium, said Charles Buehler, a GM materials engineer.

"The entire direction of the auto business is light weighting, closing gaps and controlling dimensional stability," Buehler noted during a presentation Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the Society of Plastics Engineers' Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition in suburban Detroit. "This polymer helps in all those areas."

Buehler said GM is aggressively targeting the material for structural parts such as support brackets, under-the-hood parts and painted exterior applications.

Quantum has trademarked the polymer as Quantech. Studies are being done to validate the material for a range of performance and processing conditions. Mike Zimmerman, Quantum's president, said the company has plans to improve the material's performance properties in one or two areas of concern.

The rising cost of steel and magnesium has given a fresh urgency to developing and commercializing alternative materials, Buehler said.

"The cost of this polymer is competitive with other materials," he said. "Six months is a best-case scenario, but it could take as long as two years for an application, depending on validation and other factors."

http://www.autonews.com/article/20080917/ANA02/809179981

Lighter weight means better mileage, and would put us closer to viable electric cars.

Although, I am kinda partial to the Aptera, my inner Geek is made very happy by that car.

That would go over very well in the snow belt.

I have one. :) It's awesome. Not only does it not rust, it also completely resists parking lot dings. The panels stay straight and smooth no matter how many SUV doors are opened into them or grocery cars are banged into them.

GM had trouble with the thermal expansion qualities of the resin they used, which required extra engineering to deal with wider-than-usual gaps where body panels come together. This eventually led to the decision to go back to sheet metal, much to the dismay of nearly all Saturn fans.

My guess is that if this new polymer pans out, we'll see the plastic-bodied Saturns again soon. One can hope. :)

:applause: