POLYAMIDES | ADDITIVES
Giving polyamides a boost
The latest additives for polyamides target physical properties, heat aging, colour stability and flame retardancy as performance demands intensify. Jennifer Markarian reports
The strength and temperature resistance of polyamide (PA) polymers—often in combination with performance modifying glass fibre reinforce- ments, mineral fillers, and various additive prod- ucts—make them near indispensable in so many engineering applications. In automotive parts, for example, polyamides (PA) are at the forefront of metal replacement, a trend evident in internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles that continues with electrical vehicles (EVs). Demand for improved properties in electrical and
electronic (E&E) applications in particular is being driven by EV developments. However, users across all PA applications continue to look for additive solutions that improve properties and processability to make make better parts, faster, and with less costs in terms of energy, material or weight. Byk-Max CT 4275, for example, is an organo- philic phyllosilicate mineral filler from German specialty additive maker Byk that has been designed to improve physical properties and reduce density and weight in polyamide (PA) formulations. The additive has a novel morpholo- gy—a proprietary blend of mixed nanoclay rods and platelets—with an optimised surface treatment that aids exfoliation in polar systems, such as PAs, and provides improved dispersion in the matrix.
www.compoundingworld.com The company says the organoclay additive can
raise heat deflection temperature (HDT) sufficiently to enable the use of PA6 in some applications in place of PA66, which has a higher heat resistance but is more costly and typically less available than PA6. Byk-Max CT 4275 is said to raise the HDT of PA6 with minimal increase in density. It also increases tensile strength and flexural modulus. Byk-Max CT 4275 has been evaluated as a
replacement for kaolin in glass-fibre reinforced PA6. According to Byk, the organoclay additive improved tensile strength and modulus (Figure 1), decreased density, and increased MFR (improved the flow) of the polymer compound compared to the kaolin. The improved flow behaviour suggests that the new additive could allow thinner compo- nents to be moulded, which could further improve weight reduction. The company says Byk-Max CT 4275 also has a positive effect on surface properties and scratch resistance. “The hardness of Byk-Max CT 4275 is not dissimilar from that of kaolin. However, due to more efficient reinforcement, less Byk-Max CT 4275 is required. This reduces the scratch visibility when compared to a kaolin-reinforced PA,” a company spokesperson explains. The morphology of the CT 4275 grade means
Main image: Markets such as EVs and E&E are driving demand for enhanced performance across the entire polyam- ide materials sector
April 2023 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 13
IMAGE: LANXESS
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