Polymers In Your Car!
Not too many malls have auto parts stores, but that just goes to show just how special this mall is. Take a stroll through our pit lane and see there is no speed without polymers. In fact, there would be no cars at all with out polymers. Let's see what polymeric wonders we can find here:
Need body parts? We've got 'em! A lot of auto body parts are made out of polymer like acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene plastic, called ABS for short. Using ABS plastic in body parts makes cars lighter so they use less gas and pollute less. This front bumper fascia is so light that Wassana can lift it with one hand!
As long as there have been cars, they have needed tires. The tread of this tire is made from random copolymers of styrene and butadiene. The sidewalls are made of another rubber called polyisoprene. And the inner liner is made of another kind of rubber called polyisobutylene. Also, the tires are reinforced with cords, sometimes made of steel, but they can also be made from KevlarTM (which is also used to make bullet-proof vests), or other fibers such as nylon or polyester.
Keeping your windshield clear during a rainstorm is the job if this windshield wiper and its blade is made from a rubber called polyisoprene.
Headlights can have lenses made from polycarbonate.
This hose is made from a rubber called polybutadiene. This kind of rubber can stand cold temperatures better than other kinds of rubber. This is important if you're driving your car in Minnesota in the winter,
This air filter is made mostly of heavy paper, which is made of a natural polymer called cellulose. The black parts
are made of polymers like poly(vinyl chloride).
I hope you don't run out of gas on a regular basis, but if you do, this
gas can on the right made from polyethylene might
come in handy. I hope you're not accident prone, either, but if you are,
you can patch up those dents with this body filler on the left, made from
a mixture of clay and polyester.
And lastly we have some carpeted floor mats. This set is made from nylon.
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