engineering thermoplastics | Innovation
Right: Korea Electric
Terminal is
using DuPont’s Crastin HR HFS hydrolysis
resistant PBT for its 20A 3P and 200A 2P high voltage shield
connectors
compartment applications, heat ageing is just as important and suppliers of HTNs and PA66 are homing in on them. “The 66 industry is being forced to find technical solutions to extend the performance of their materials. The preferred solution for customers will be the one that delivers the right performance at the lowest price.” Ascend has also unveiled Vydyne ECO-366, an
unfilled halogen-free flame retardant grade for E&E. This complements Vydyne ECO-315. Manning says that while 315 is based on a copolymer chemistry, “we formulated 366 chemistry on a pure PA66 platform, with a higher melting point [262 vs. 244°C].”
(mainly non-halogenated) flame resistant polyamides that are processed at high temperatures. “We have fixed this problem almost completely,” he says. “There is signifi- cantly less corrosion.” (See chart, Solvay EP PR03 Low Processing Equipment Corrosion Graph). The material is also very easy to mould thanks to the high fluidity of the melt, which is said to be better even than standard polyamide 66. Technyl One has a UL 94 V-0 rating at 0.4 mm. It also
has a very high RTI (Relative Thermal Index) of 150°C, the highest available on the market today. By compari- son, regular PA66 has an RTI of around 130°C, while a polyphthalmide RTI is around 140°C. Solvay is currently developing a 50% reinforced grade
for use in smart devices and as a replacement for thermosets in high voltage, higher ampage applications. Ascend Performance Materials, which until 2009
Right: Solvay is targeting high-voltage
circuit breakers and contactors with its latest Technyl One polyamide
was the PA66 division of Solutia (ex-Monsanto) has tripled its resin capacity to 525,000 tonnes/yr since 2005, and is now concentrating much more on engi- neering thermoplastics than in the past (it also produced carpet fibre grades). The company has its eyes on five markets: compounding, automotive E&E, consumer and industrial, cable ties and fasteners, and primary feedstock for independent compounders. Steve Manning, technical director, says Ascend is launching new PA66 chemistry that provides better thermal ageing and hydrolytic stability at high tempera- tures, which it is doing in response to increasing demands in automotive engine compartment applica- tions. It is launching two new grades initially. One is a hydrolysis-resistant 30% glass reinforced grade, Vydyne R530HR, which was launched at K2013 for cooling systems. In 2014, Ascend will introduce a grade with extended thermal performance. Manning says that so-called high temperature
nylons (HTNs) distinguish themselves by their higher deflection temperature under load but, in many engine
30 INJECTION WORLD | November/December 2013
www.injectionworld.com
Surface improvements Surface finish is also an area being addressed. BASF showcased a portfolio of four special “SI” (Surface Improved) types of Ultramid B PA6 at K2013 geared to the needs of the furniture sector. They are said to combine the technical properties that are typical of polyamides with a high-quality surface appearance. Three grades are glass reinforced (20, 30 and 50%) and one is flame retardant. One of the first serially produced items made of the new series is the MOVYis3 office swivel chair, which BASF developed in collaboration with the furniture manufacturer Interstuhl. Staying with surface finish, Lanxess has launched
Durethan BKV60XF (eXtreme Flow) 60% glass rein- forced compound as a further development of its well-established Durethan BKV60 easy flow PA6. Martin Wanders, Head of Global Application Development for High Performance Materials, says the new grade not only has better flow (Figure 1) but also yields parts with better surface finish. The company is aiming at parts
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