The material is aimed at automotive applications outside the engine compartment

Dow Automotive has introduced a new long glass fibre reinforced ABS to Europe. Its Magnum Brace material was shown at last week’s VDI Plastics in Automotive conference in Mannheim, Germany. Brace has already found its first application in the US for an air duct application, the company announced.

While the material can replace long glass fibre reinforced polypropylene, Dow is looking for applications outside the engine compartment, because ABS has lower chemical resistance than PP. Instrument panels, door modules and tailgate inner structures will all benefit from Brace’s low level of reinforcement, says Dow. It will enable large thin wall part designs, while low mould shrinkage and low isotropy will reduce warping in large mouldings, it says.

Dow has started to offer Brace as a concentrate for dilution by the user – as it has also done with its long glass fibre reinforced PP – but says it may in future offer the material ready compounded instead.