Avient launches PPE radome materials for ADAS radar and robotics
Avient launches PPE radome materials for ADAS radar, traffic systems and humanoid robotics
Avient has launched a new portfolio of PREPERM low-loss dielectric thermoplastics designed for millimetre-wave radome applications, targeting advanced driver-assistance systems, traffic radar equipment and humanoid robotics.
The new PPE radome materials are based on modified polyphenylene ether and are intended as an alternative to glass-fibre-reinforced polybutylene terephthalate, commonly known as PBT+GF, in high-frequency radar housings and covers.
Why radome materials now matter more
Radar sensors are becoming more important in vehicles, smart transport infrastructure and service robots. In automotive applications, they support functions such as forward detection, corner radar and blind-spot monitoring. In traffic systems, they help monitor movement and improve road safety. In robotics, they can protect mmWave sensing modules used in industrial or demanding operating environments.
A radome is not just a protective cover. It sits between the radar antenna and the outside world, so its dielectric behaviour can directly affect signal quality, detection range and angular coverage.
This is becoming more critical as radar systems operate at higher frequencies, including 37.5 GHz to 79 GHz and beyond. According to Avient, legacy PBT+GF materials were not originally developed for these higher-frequency requirements and can create limitations linked to signal loss, narrower detection angles, warpage during injection moulding and certification barriers for Blind Spot Information System applications.
PREPERM portfolio targets lower signal loss
Avient says the new PREPERM grades can provide dielectric constant values between 2.53 and 2.94, with loss tangent values as low as 0.001 at 2.5 GHz. In internal RF testing at 37.5 GHz, the company reported improvements in gain, elevation angle and detection angle compared with PBT+GF reference materials.
For component manufacturers, this is important because lower dielectric loss can help preserve radar signal strength as it passes through the radome. Better dimensional stability can also reduce assembly issues, especially where injection-moulded parts must meet tight tolerances.
The company has introduced four commercially available grades. They are designed either as unfilled PPE or glass-filled PPE, depending on the role required inside the radome structure.
Designed for different parts of the radome assembly
The PREPERM range includes grades intended for the outer radome layer, where impact resistance, structure and surface performance are important. Other grades are designed for laser-weldable or laser-absorbing functions, supporting more integrated radome assemblies. PPE radome materials
This is relevant for suppliers moving from conventional PBT+GF materials, because Avient positions selected grades as a possible drop-in upgrade path where dimensional stability and processing consistency are required.
Automotive ADAS is the clearest market driver
The strongest immediate application is automotive ADAS. Modern vehicles increasingly rely on radar alongside cameras, ultrasonic sensors and other perception systems. Radar remains valuable because it can operate in conditions where visibility is reduced, including rain, fog, spray or low light.
Forward-facing and corner-facing radars need radome materials that do not significantly distort or weaken the signal. If the radome material absorbs too much energy or creates inconsistent dielectric behaviour, radar performance can be affected.
This is why materials designed specifically for mmWave performance are becoming more relevant for Tier 1 suppliers and automotive sensor manufacturers.
Traffic radar and BSIS requirements add pressure
The launch also connects with intelligent transport and commercial vehicle safety systems. In Europe, Blind Spot Information Systems are linked to UN Regulation No. 151, which concerns the detection of bicycles by motor vehicles. The EU’s wider General Safety Regulation has also made a range of vehicle safety technologies more important for new vehicles sold in the European market.
That regulatory context increases the pressure on radar and sensor suppliers to use materials that support stable detection performance and reliable system qualification.
Humanoid robotics expands the opportunity
Avient also identifies humanoid robotics as an important application area. As robots move from research and demonstration environments into industrial service roles, their sensing systems must work reliably near people, machines and obstacles.
Millimetre-wave radar can help provide spatial awareness in environments where optical sensors may be limited. For robot designers, lightweight and mouldable low-loss thermoplastics may offer a practical alternative to heavier or less process-friendly materials.
What this means for polymer and electronics suppliers
The launch shows how engineering polymers are moving deeper into electronics, mobility and automation. In these applications, plastics are no longer selected only for mechanical protection, heat resistance or mouldability. Their electromagnetic behaviour is becoming a core performance parameter.
For the plastics industry, PPE-based low-loss dielectric materials could become more relevant as radar, 5G/6G communication and mmWave sensing expand across vehicles, infrastructure and robotics.
For automotive and electronics suppliers, the key question will be how these grades perform in real production conditions, including moulding consistency, joining, durability, validation cycles and total system cost.
Outlook
Avient’s PREPERM launch reflects a broader shift in material requirements for high-frequency sensing. As ADAS systems, traffic monitoring and humanoid robotics become more dependent on mmWave radar, radome materials will need to combine low signal loss, stable dielectric properties, dimensional control and efficient processing.
PBT+GF materials will likely remain useful in many conventional applications. However, for advanced radar systems working at higher frequencies, dedicated PPE radome materials could offer a more targeted route to improved sensor performance and assembly reliability.
Sources reviewed include Avient’s official product announcement and technical product information, along with recent plastics industry coverage from SpecialChem.
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