The carbon fiber composite material "SMC (Sheet Molding Compound)" of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was selected as the roof material of the "GR Yaris" launched by Toyota Motor Corporation in September this year.
The roof of the same model (carbon fiber style appearance) The SMC developed by Mitsubishi Chemical is one of the intermediate base materials of carbon fiber reinforced plastics. It is a sheet-like material made by dispersing carbon fibers cut into a length of several centimeters into resin. Through stamping and forming, it only takes 2-5 minutes to process into parts. Compared with prepreg, which is the intermediate product of continuous impregnation of carbon fiber with resin, complex shapes can be formed in a short time, and because the mechanical properties are close to homogeneity, it is easier to use carbon fiber to achieve light weight based on previous part design experience. Quantification and high intensity.
This time, Mitsubishi Chemical's products can be supplied to GR Yaris thanks to: the use of SMC can greatly reduce weight and high component performance; Mitsubishi Chemical SMC's excellent moldability makes it possible to produce complex-shaped components. This is also the third time Toyota has adopted Mitsubishi Chemical SMC after the rear door frame of the "Prius PHV" in February 2017 and the door inner panels and trunk inner panels of the Lexus "LC500" and "LC500h" in March of the same year. In today's automobile market, under the background of electrification and stricter CO2 emission restrictions, the requirements for lightweight body are getting higher and higher.
In the future, Mitsubishi Chemical will accelerate the research and development of cutting-edge materials such as carbon fiber and CFRP to provide the best solutions for the ever-changing technological innovation in the field of transportation and actively develop business.