Automotive: Zytel replaces metal in Golf's exhaust

Volkswagen has reduced a component’s weight in its Golf exhaust systems by nearly 50% through the replacement of steel with reinforced Zytel polyamide from DuPont. DuPont says metal replacement in vehicles will gain only greater emphasis with the enforcement of new emissions requirements such as Euro 5 and EPA 2010, giving high-heat chemical-resistant engineering polymers new opportunities.

In the case of the Golf, the reinforced nylon is used in a catalytic converter bracket that experiences temperatures up to 175C. Zytel replaced a metal and rubber assembly that required secondary operations. DuPont says the application is a first, with the dynamic forces, chemical exposure, and high temperatures experienced in the exhaust system previously precluding polymers. Zytel not only reduced weight but also resulted in a more-efficient one-step assembly.—[email protected]