Another New Material of Wanhua Chemical Obtains Certification from a Major Automaker
2025-3-25
Recently, Clarnate® HL6157, an optical-grade polycarbonate (PC) material developed by Wanhua Chemical, has officially passed the certification for headlamp cover materials by the Hyundai-Kia Group, the world¡äs third-largest automaker. As a result, Wanhua Chemical has become the first Chinese enterprise to enter the automotive material supply chain of this group.
As a core component of the automotive lighting system, headlamp cover materials need to meet multiple stringent standards simultaneously, such as high light transmittance, weather resistance, and impact resistance. Since Wanhua Chemical launched a special research and development project in 2018, its technical team has carried out integrated research on materials, processes, and structures for headlamp working conditions, optimizing and enhancing multiple properties of Clarnate® HL6157, including light transmittance, yellowness index, and impact strength. This can meet the strict requirements of Hyundai vehicles for lightweight and high-safety headlamps. Currently, Wanhua Chemical has completed the material approval process of many mainstream domestic and foreign automakers and has established a full-chain service system covering optical simulation, mold flow analysis, and mass production delivery.
It is reported that after capacity expansion, the PC production capacity of Wanhua Chemical has reached 480,000 tons per year. It is understood that most of the new production capacity of Wanhua Chemical¡äs 140,000-ton/year PC expansion project, which has an investment of approximately 1.11 billion yuan, will focus on mid-to high-end products and also produce silicon-copolymerized PC. The most significant performance feature of silicon-copolymerized PC is its excellent low-temperature impact resistance, which makes it promising in popular fields such as smartphones, 5G communication, new energy vehicles, and photovoltaic connectors. In addition, during Chinaplas 2024, Wanhua Chemical also presented relevant application demonstrations of optical-grade high-refractive-index PC and medical-grade PC.
As a core component of the automotive lighting system, headlamp cover materials need to meet multiple stringent standards simultaneously, such as high light transmittance, weather resistance, and impact resistance. Since Wanhua Chemical launched a special research and development project in 2018, its technical team has carried out integrated research on materials, processes, and structures for headlamp working conditions, optimizing and enhancing multiple properties of Clarnate® HL6157, including light transmittance, yellowness index, and impact strength. This can meet the strict requirements of Hyundai vehicles for lightweight and high-safety headlamps. Currently, Wanhua Chemical has completed the material approval process of many mainstream domestic and foreign automakers and has established a full-chain service system covering optical simulation, mold flow analysis, and mass production delivery.
It is reported that after capacity expansion, the PC production capacity of Wanhua Chemical has reached 480,000 tons per year. It is understood that most of the new production capacity of Wanhua Chemical¡äs 140,000-ton/year PC expansion project, which has an investment of approximately 1.11 billion yuan, will focus on mid-to high-end products and also produce silicon-copolymerized PC. The most significant performance feature of silicon-copolymerized PC is its excellent low-temperature impact resistance, which makes it promising in popular fields such as smartphones, 5G communication, new energy vehicles, and photovoltaic connectors. In addition, during Chinaplas 2024, Wanhua Chemical also presented relevant application demonstrations of optical-grade high-refractive-index PC and medical-grade PC.