ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE | ADDITIVES
The rapid global pace of electrification, together with growing penetration of smart
technologies, is fueling interest in electrically conductive compounds, writes Jennifer Markarian
EVs and smart technology push conductives ahead
Electrically conductive additives play an essential role in a wide range of plastic compounds, extend- ing from wire and cable, through technical hous- ings, to packaging for electrical and electronic items. Enhancing the conductivity of a polymer compound provides functions such as electrostatic dissipation (ESD) protection or, at higher levels, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capabilities. It is very much an in-demand material characteristic.
“EMI shielding is increasingly important in automotive, particularly for electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving functions, because there are so many digital components within the car that need to be separated from interfering external signals,” says Jodi Bates, Technical Service and Development manager for Performance Materials at Cabot Corporation. “Overall, there is a growing need for conductive additives in wire and cable for EVs as well as in wire and cable for new infrastructure projects, including
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replacement cables, new initiatives for burying cables, and new renewable energy projects… Different conductive additives are used depending on the voltage,” she says. The latest specialty conductive carbon blacks available from Cabot include two products with low compound moisture absorption (CMA) and high surface smoothness. Both attributes are important for ESD packaging, conductive sheets for electron- ics and automotive, and conductive components in automotive fuel and charging systems. The Vulcan XC615 conductive and Vulcan
XCmax 22 extra-conductive carbon blacks provide ESD protection and low CMA (Figure 1), according to Dominique Strässler, Global Segment Manager Plastics, Cabot Corporation. “Low CMA enables superior surface smooth-
ness, reduces the risk of mechanical failures, and provides nice aesthetics,” he adds. CMA is affected by the moisture absorption of the carbon black, polymer, and potentially other ingredients.
Main image: Demand is growing for electrically conductive plastics in applications as varied as EVs, smart devices, and medical technology
� February 2023 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 13
IMAGE: PREMIX GROUP
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