MATERIALS | BIO-BASED POLYMERS
Right: Expan- sion tank made by Heyco in DSM’s EcoPaXX PA410 has high performance as well as environmental credentials
Performance Polymers business. Spini points to a growing number of
interesting applications that make use of some key char- acteristics of PA610: higher chemical resistance than PA 6 and 66, better hydroly- sis resistance, and improved dimensional stability (due to lower water absorption). Its den- sity, 1.07, is also lower (PA6 weighs in at over 1.1, PA66 at over 1.3). PA610 also scores with its better resistance to cooling liquids, as well as road de-icing chemicals. In fuel lines, it offers the possibility of both tubes and fittings being made in the same material. RadiciGroup has developed an injection mould-
ing grade of Radilon D PA610 for fuel line connec- tors, incorporating an impact modifier and 30% glass fibre. This is Radilon D ERV 300 W 333 BK. The company is also developing an unfilled grade, Radilon D HS 3032 BK, which gives improved surface properties, targeted at automotive interior components. Gloss retention after exposure to UV radiation is very good, as is chemical resistance, including resistance to creams and lotions that may transfer from the skin of passengers. Spini also mentions Radilon D RV 600 RKT, which has 60% glass, for sanitary components carrying water at temperatures of up to 60°C. It has approvals from various water authorities. Despite the clear sustainability benefits, for
Below: Comparison of various properties of grades of PA56 with PA66
many years bio-based plastics have struggled to grow beyond a few niche applications in the auto- motive industry, says DSM. However, this is starting to change as automakers discover some of the unique performance characteristics a bio-based resin can provide versus more traditional materials. With its EcoPaXX, which is a PA410, DSM has
succeeded in producing a poly- amide that is 70% bio-based and certified 100% carbon neutral from cradle to gate. DSM says that, as the global PA66 shortage continues, EcoPaXX offers a sustain- able alternative that doesn’t sacrifice performance. Because EcoPaXX maintains its strength during aging, this enables thin-walled parts that reduce weight by 30% over
PA66, the company says. EcoPaXX
absorbs 30% less moisture than PA66 and 40% less than PA6, offering benefits in terms of dimensional stability and hydrolysis resistance. EcoPaXX can be moulded using the same tooling as PA66. One target application is coolant expansion
tanks, which are made by a combination of injection moulding and welding. The material must withstand under-the-hood temperatures of 105°C to 150°C; exposure to water glycol; internal coolant tempera- tures of 120°C to 137°C; internal pressure levels of more than 2.3 bar; and vibration from the chassis or engine. It must obviously also demonstrate good welding properties, with high strength at the weld line at under-the-hood temperatures. Under these conditions, DSM says, PA66 is now at the limit of its performance capabilities. EcoPaXX demonstrates superior chemical stabil- ity and weld-line strength after aging, resulting in a part that lasts up to three times longer, with higher safety margins. The ability to use thinner walls and still get a technically superior part means that Eco- PaXX turns out cost-competitive with PA66. Another bio-based polyamide is Cathay Indus- trial Biotech’s PA56. Alex Kedo, vice president of the company’s international business, says the suc- cessful commercialisation of its new bio-based pol- yamide monomer, 1,5-pentanediamine (PDA), “has significantly increased the functional options for the polymer chemist as well as provided the competi- tive market advantage by being bio-based.” (See also Injection World March/April 2017.) “We supply a broad range of applications within injection moulding and are growing,” he says, add- ing that confidentiality agreements prevent him from naming customers. “Besides performance, the renewable attribute is a key selling feature.” PDA, a five-carbon diamine, is produced from sugar via a fermentation process using Cathay In- dustrial Biotech’s proprietary technology. PA56 has a similar crystalline structure to PA66 and as such has similar stiffness, tensile and flexural modulus
56 INJECTION WORLD | March 2019
www.injectionworld.com
PHOTO: DSM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
