Automotive company Tata Toyo has used the lightweight plastic Zytel PLUS Nylon offered by Dupont for its three hot and cold side charge air coolers. Tata Toyo has used this on four vehicles ranging from passenger car, Light Commercial Vehicle and Utility Vehicle.
Charge Air Cooler
The company has used this material in the place of nylon resins in order to provide added safety to turbo diesel systems. The company is also considering replacing metals used in all its other applications with the lightweight plastic.
Charge air coolers increase combustion efficiency by cooling hot air, which is created by the turbocharger before it is passed through the induction system. Turbo systems reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase fuel economy. Zytel PLUS Nylon was chosen by Tata Toyo due to characteristics such as rigidity in high temperatures, ease of process and an overall better surface appearance.
According to Industry Manager of Dupont for Polymers Automotive-India, Avinash Malshe, both the companies together found ways to decrease the weight of automotive parts by replacing metal with lightweight materials.
Dupont introduced a range of PPA materials and high performance nylon providing resistance to high temperatures, chemicals and pressure in 2011. However, Zytel PLUS Nylon offers more ease of process than these specialty resins and is targeted mainly at automotive engines and underhoods. Last year alone, the company has invested around 22% of its total $1.7 billion budget for R&D for the development of materials and chemistry that reduce the dependence on fossil fuels.