ADDITIVES | POLYAMIDES
Cabot’s new specialty carbon black — Black Pearls 1180HD — is a high jetness particle that exhibits strong colour and is easily dispersed, so it can provide good colour at lower loadings (lower carbon black levels enable better mechanical properties in PA compounds). High mechanical performance is crucial in metal-replacement applications, particularly in automotive applications where PA compounds are being considered to allow light-weighting, according to Dominique Strässler, Global Segment Manager for Plastics at Cabot. Lower loadings of carbon black can also lead to
Tensile strength of 30% glass reinforced PA66 with and without Brüggemann’s TP-H1804 stabiliser after ageing at 190° Source: Brüggemann
corrosion of metal contacts – a potential problem in electronic applications – and maintains high mechan- ical properties of compounds even after long-term aging. Bergmann says the company is working on an improved version of this stabiliser that will allow better flame retardancy.
Brüggemann has also launched Bruggolen
TP-H1804, a PA stabiliser suitable for a temperature range of 160-190 °C. It meets the need for applica- tions at temperatures where classic copper-based stabilisers provide insufficient protection. The stabilisers are finding use in under-the-hood applications in down-sized internal combustion engines (ICEs).
Right: Macrolex Orange HT is a soluble halogen-free dye from Lanxess for PA EV parts
Visible stability High performance stabilisation is also a key criteria in electric vehicles (EVs). Brüggemann collaborated with masterbatch maker Grafe to develop and launch a heat-stabilised orange masterbatch, PA-Tekolen, designed for polyamide e-mobility uses that require the RAL2003 orange. “This combination ensures high visibility without discolouring in long-term high-heat applications, which is manda- tory for components used in high voltage applica- tions,” says Bergmann. The masterbatch has been demonstrated to maintain colour after 1,000 service hours at 130 °C. It can be used for PA6, PA66 and glass fibre-filled and flame-retardant PA grades. Macrolex Orange HT is a new soluble, halogen-
free organic dye from Lanxess that is also intended for use in colouring polyamides (and other plastics) with the RAL2003 shade of orange. The company describes this as a “signal” colour that is used for live cables and other high-voltage components in electric and hybrid vehicles to reduce the risk of accidental injury to those maintaining electric motors. Lanxess says its new dye is heat-stable, light-fast, and weather resistant.
36 COMPOUNDING WORLD | February 2022
www.compoundingworld.com
reduced interaction with flame retardants and better overall flame retardant performance, while the optimised dispersibility and morphology can improve comparative tracking index (CTI) and dielectric performance, Strässler explained in a presentation given last year at AMI’s Performance Polyamides conference in Munich in Germany.
Flow improvement PA injection moulding compounds typically contain a small amount of lubricant to ensure good mould release. Higher levels of lubricant can also improve melt viscosity and flowability but careful formula- tion is required to avoid unwanted negative side effects, says Henrik Eriksson, Technical Product Manager of Special Additives at Baerlocher. The company offers a range of lubricants for PAs, including metal soaps (stearates), EBS-wax, and specialty soaps (behenates). “When working with metal soaps, this includes choosing the proper metal cation and a suitable chain length for the organic part, as well as considering a suitable wax partner for the metal soap to balance solubility constraints,” says Eriksson. “Some compounders have traditionally shunned working with aluminium stearate, al- though it contributes to very good surface appear- ance in glass fibre reinforced compounds. This reluctance is due to the tendency of the very fluid powder to separate from other additives and
IMAGE: LANXESS
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