Altuglas International, a subsidiary of the Arkema group, has launched the Altuglas ShieldUp nanostructured acrylic sheet, a ‘meshed’ acrylic glass structured at the scale of a billionth of a metre.

The resulting strength and transparency expands the range of conventional uses and offers opportunities for industries such as aeronautics, automotive, photovoltaic (PV) and safety glass, Altuglas claims.

“The current energy challenges we face have lead us to anticipate the needs of our industrial customers,” said Frederic Vartician, General Manager, Sheet Business Europe.

“At 50% lighter than glass and more transparent, Altuglas ShieldUp responds, for example, to the challenge of constructing panoramic roofs and side windows for the car industry, using lighter and stronger materials. Reducing the weight of a vehicle by 100kg means a reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 0.4 litres and about 1kg respectively for every 100km, without reducing performance,” he added.

The formulation of the acrylic sheet strengthens chemical resistance to aggressive agents such as alcohol or other cleaning products and it does not whiten in increased temperatures. As it is thermoformed, it also lends itself to the creation of complex shapes.